Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Aja and Salma mountains draw nature lovers to Hail's rugged landscapes    US revokes all visas for South Sudanese nationals over deportation dispute    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 3,471    Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egypt and Jordan in Cairo    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Freire finally delivers
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 20 - 07 - 2008

Three-time world champion Oscar Freire honored his green jersey with victory in the 14th stage of the Tour de France, a 194.5-km trek from Nimes, on Saturday.
The Spaniard, who wears the jersey for the best sprinter but had not won a stage this year, prevailed in a sprint, beating Colombian Leonardo Duque of the Cofidis team.
German veteran Erik Zabel came home third for Milram.
Australian Cadel Evans of the Silence-Lotto team retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after a quiet day in the peloton.
Freire, who won three Tour stages in 2002 and 2006, now enjoys a 47-point lead over Norway's Thor Hushovd in the points classification and looks set to take the green jersey all the way to Paris for the first time if he manages to go through the Alps.
In scorching heat, 21 men broke away after 15 km but the peloton reacted swiftly to catch them.
Four riders, however, managed to stay ahead and France's Sandy Casar and William Bonnet, with Dutchman Bram Tankink and Spain's Jose Ivan Gutierrez, opened up a six-minute lead.
The sprinters' teams stepped up a gear midway through the stage.
A breakaway split came some 25 km from the finish when Gutierrez attacked Casar and Tankink after Bonnet was dropped.
Casar and Tankink were swallowed with less than 20 km to go, with Gutierrez pulling over 10 km from the finish.
In the fourth-category ascent to the Col de l'Orme, Mark Cavendish, who has won four stages this year, dropped out of the main bunch and could not take part in the final sprint.
France's Romain Feillu launched the sprint far from the line but could not keep up the pace as Freire powered ahead for his fourth Tour stage victory and his 60th career win.
Cavendish, who struggled in the Pyrenees, is expected to pull out of the race on Sunday during the first Alpine stage in order to prepare for next month's Olympics.
The 15th stage will take the peloton over 183 km from Embrun to Prato Nevoso, in Italy, on Sunday.


Clic here to read the story from its source.