Thor Hushovd (AP)

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Gap - World champion Thor Hushovd of Norway led a three-man breakaway to win a rainy 16th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday, as overall race leader Thomas Voeckler lost crucial seconds against two top race favourites.

Three-time champion Alberto Contador attacked in the final climb of Tuesday's 162.5km route from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Gap - and reduced his deficit in the title quest.

Hushovd won his second stage this Tour by outpacing fellow Norwegian Edvald Boassen Hagen in second and Hushovd's Garmin-Cervelo team-mate Ryder Hesjedal in third.

Hushovd, a 32-year-old veteran long known as a star sprinter, showed off his new talents when he won Stage 13 over a big climb. This time, he displayed a puncher's ability to break away on a more rolling course.

The Norwegian has been one of the stars of this race: He also held the yellow jersey for six days early in the race, after the Garmin-Cervelo team won the team time trial in Stage 2.

"I have succeeded a lot at the Tour de France," Hushovd said. "To win another stage is very good."

Contador and two-time Tour runner-up Cadel Evans gained time on Voeckler, who retained the yellow jersey, while two-time runner-up Andy Schleck of Luxembourg was among the day's big losers - crossing the finish behind the other favourites.

"I was able to save it," Voeckler said of the yellow jersey, which he expects to lose before the race ends Sunday in Paris. "I kept it by a handful of seconds, but that shows that I've hit my ceiling."

Ten breakaway riders pressed the pace through most of the stage, though by the finish that group had thinned to the two Norwegian riders and Hesjedal, a Canadian.

As the pack prepared to scale the mid-grade Col de Manse climb, with about 15 kms left in the stage, Contador sped out of the front of the pack - in a string of attacks to gain about 20 seconds on most favourites.

Only Evans, a two-time Tour runner-up, kept up.

While the 9.5km climb was not well-suited for Contador to gain time on his rivals - it wasn't so steep that they couldn't keep up - the signal from the three-time champion was clear: Don't forget about me.

The attack also did more than that. Contador finished 18 seconds ahead of Voeckler to reduce his deficit to the Frenchman to 3 minutes, 42 seconds. But perhaps more importantly, the Spaniard also gained time on his two-time runner-up, Schleck.

Standings from the 16th stage of the Tour de France, a 162.5km ride from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Gap on Tuesday:

1. Thor Hushovd (NOR/GRM) 3h31min 38sec (average: 46.1km/h)
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) at 0:00.
3. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 0:02.
4. Tony Martin (GER/HTC) 0:38.
5. Mikhail Ignatiev (RUS/KAT) 0:52.
6. Alan Perez Lezaun (ESP/EUS) 1:25.
7. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 1:25.
8. Marco Marcato (ITA/VAC) 1:55.
9. Dries Devenyns (BEL/QST) 1:55.
10. Andriy Grivko (UKR/AST) 1:58.
11. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 4:23.
12. Alberto Contador (ESP/SAX) 4:26.
13. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 4:26.
14. Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP/MOV) 4:44.
15. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/OLO) 4:44.
16. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 4:44.
17. Peter Velits (SVK/HTC) 4:44.
18. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 4:44.
19. Rob Ruijgh (NED/VAC) 4:44.
20. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) 4:44.
21. Jelle Vanendert (BEL/OLO) 4:44.
22. Frank Schleck (LUX/LEO) 4:44.
23. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 4:44.
24. Jrome Coppel (FRA/SAU) 4:44.
25. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 4:44.
26. Egoi Martinez (ESP/EUS) 4:44.
27. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 4:44.
28. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 5:02.
29. Vladimir Gusev (RUS/KAT) 5:17.
30. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 5:17.
31. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 5:17.
32. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 5:17.
33. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 5:17.
34. Christian Vande Velde (USA/GRM) 5:17.
35. Maxime Monfort (BEL/LEO) 5:32.
36. Andy Schleck (LUX/LEO) 5:32.
37. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 5:32.
38. Daniel Navarro (ESP/SAX) 5:32.
39. Gorka Verdugo (ESP/EUS) 5:32.
40. Maxime Bouet (FRA/ALM) 6:18.
41. David Arroyo (ESP/MOV) 6:18.
42. Stuart O'Grady (AUS/LEO) 6:18.
43. Mark Cavendish (IDM/HTC) 6:48.
44. Sergio Paulinho (POR/RSH) 6:54.
45. Vincent Jerome (FRA/EUC) 6:54.
46. Daniel Oss (ITA/LIQ) 7:05.
47. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 7:12.
48. Nicki Sorensen (DEN/SAX) 7:21.
49. Xavier Zandio (ESP/SKY) 7:21.
50. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/SAU) 7:21.
51. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 7:21.
52. Kevin De Weert (BEL/QST) 7:26.
53. Jimmy Engoulvent (FRA/SAU) 7:26.
54. Remy Di Gregorio (FRA/AST) 7:26.
55. Yannick Talabardon (FRA/SAU) 7:26.
56. Sandy Casar (FRA/FDJ) 7:26.
57. Julien El Fares (FRA/COF) 7:26.
58. Andrej Zeits (KAZ/AST) 7:26.
59. Maciej Paterski (POL/LIQ) 7:26.
60. Sylvester Szmyd (POL/LIQ) 7:26.
61. Jurgen Roelandts (BEL/OLO) 7:26.
62. George Hincapie (USA/BMC) 7:26.
63. Amael Moinard (FRA/BMC) 7:26.
64. Johnny Hoogerland (NED/VAC) 7:34.
65. Fabian Cancellara (SWI/LEO) 8:08.
66. Alessandro Vanotti (ITA/LIQ) 8:08.
67. Ruben Perez Moreno (ESP/EUS) 8:08.
68. Levi Leipheimer (USA/RSH) 8:08.
69. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/LAM) 8:08.
70. Kristjan Koren (SLO/LIQ) 8:08.
71. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/BMC) 8:08.
72. Jens Voigt (GER/LEO) 8:08.
73. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 8:08.
74. Carlos Barredo (ESP/RAB) 8:43.
75. Nicolas Roche (EIR/ALM) 8:47.
76. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 9:12.
77. David Loosli (SWI/LAM) 9:22.
78. Adriano Malori (ITA/LAM) 9:22.
79. Sebastian Lang (GER/OLO) 9:59.
80. Bernhard Eisel (AUT/HTC) 9:59.
81. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 9:59.
82. Thomas DE GEN (BEL/VAC) 10:35.
83. Joost Posthuma (NED/LEO) 10:35.
84. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/EUS) 10:35.
85. Grischa Niermann (GER/RAB) 12:14.
86. Michael Schr (SWI/BMC) 12:14.
87. Brent Bookwalter (USA/BMC) 12:14.
88. Tristan Valentin (FRA/COF) 12:14.
89. Michael Buffaz (FRA/COF) 12:14.
90. Steve Morabito (SWI/BMC) 12:14.
91. Arnaud Coyot (FRA/SAU) 12:14.
92. Paolo Longo Borghini (ITA/LIQ) 12:14.
93. Egor Silin (RUS/KAT) 12:14.
94. Linus Gerdemann (GER/LEO) 12:14.
95. Tony Gallopin (FRA/COF) 12:18.
96. Chris Anker Srensen (DEN/SAX) 12:30.
97. Pablo Urtasun (ESP/EUS) 12:30.
98. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) 12:30.
99. Jeremie Galland (FRA/SAU) 12:30.
100. Tomas Vaitkus (LTU/AST) 14:02.
101. Fabio-Leonardo Duque (COL/COF) 14:02.
102. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP/SKY) 14:02.
103. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 14:02.
104. Markel Irizar (ESP/RSH) 14:02.
105. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 14:02.
106. Danilo Hondo (GER/LAM) 14:14.
107. Christian Knees (GER/SKY) 14:14.
108. Maartens Tjallingii (NED/RAB) 15:06.
109. Sebastien Hinault (FRA/ALM) 15:06.
110. Leonardo Bertagnolli (ITA/LAM) 15:06.
111. Francisco Ventoso (ESP/MOV) 15:06.
112. Borut Bozic (SLO/VAC) 15:06.
113. Sbastien Turgot (FRA/EUC) 15:06.
114. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/AST) 15:06.
115. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/SAX) 15:06.
116. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 15:06.
117. Andre Greipel (GER/OLO) 15:06.
118. Simon Gerrans (AUS/SKY) 15:06.
119. Mark Renshaw (AUS/HTC) 15:06.
120. Marcel Sieberg (GER/OLO) 15:06.
121. Sebastien Minard (FRA/ALM) 15:06.
122. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP/MOV) 15:06.
123. Mickael Delage (FRA/FDJ) 15:06.
124. Audrey Amador (CRC/MOV) 15:06.
125. Grega Bole (SLO/LAM) 15:06.
126. Arthur Vichot (FRA/FDJ) 15:06.
127. Matteo Bono (ITA/LAM) 15:06.
128. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 15:06.
129. Denys Kostyuk (UKR/LAM) 15:06.
130. Benjamin Noval (ESP/SAX) 15:06.
131. Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ/AST) 15:06.
132. Jesus Hernandez (ESP/SAX) 15:06.
133. Fabrice Jeandesboz (FRA/SAU) 15:06.
134. Ben Swift (ENG/SKY) 15:06.
135. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/RAB) 15:06.
136. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/LEO) 15:06.
137. Gerald Ciolek (GER/QST) 15:06.
138. Maciej Bodnar (POL/LIQ) 15:06.
139. Matthew Goss (AUS/HTC) 15:06.
140. Danny Pate (USA/HTC) 15:06.
141. Laurens ten Dam (NED/RAB) 15:06.
142. Niki Terpstra (NED/QST) 15:06.
143. Lieuwe Westra (NED/VAC) 15:25.
144. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/HTC) 15:25.
145. Bjorn Leukemans (BEL/VAC) 15:25.
146. Paolo Tiralongo (ITA/AST) 15:25.
147. Gianni Meersman (BEL/FDJ) 15:25.
148. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/HTC) 15:25.
149. Fabio Sabatini (ITA/LIQ) 15:25.
150. Brian Vandborg (DEN/SAX) 15:25.
151. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) 15:25.
152. Perrig Quemeneur (FRA/EUC) 15:25.
153. Laurent Mangel (FRA/SAU) 15:25.
154. Dmitry Muravyev (KAZ/RSH) 15:25.
155. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) 15:25.
156. Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ/AST) 15:25.
157. Rui Costa (POR/MOV) 15:25.
158. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/COF) 15:25.
159. Romain Zingle (BEL/COF) 15:25.
160. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 15:25.
161. David Moncouti (FRA/COF) 15:25.
162. Jerome Pineau (FRA/QST) 15:25.
163. Anthony Roux (FRA/FDJ) 15:25.
164. Addy Engels (NED/QST) 15:25.
165. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 15:25.
166. Anthony Charteau (FRA/EUC) 15:25.
167. Marcus Burghardt (GER/BMC) 15:36.
168. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 15:51.
169. Jonathan Hivert (FRA/SAU) 15:51.
170. Julian Dean (NZL/GRM) 16:47.