Sanchez wins ninth TDF stage

Saint-Flour - Spanish rider Luis Leon Sanchez has won Sunday's crash-marred ninth stage of the Tour de France after forming part of a long breakaway in the mountains.

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler finished second, and took over the race leader's yellow jersey from Thor Hushovd.

Veteran Kazakh rider Alexandre Vinokourov abandoned the race after crashing near the halfway point of the 208 km trek from Issoire to Saint-Flour in the Massif Central.

Spanish rider Juan Antonio Flecha was hit by a car late on, and took down Dutch rider Johnny Hoogerland with him as he flew sideways off his saddle. Both got up and continued the stage.

Defending champion Alberto Contador fell early on, but the Spaniard was unharmed and rode on.

The 32-year-old Voeckler once defended the yellow jersey for nine days during the 2004 Tour, but he could not match Sanchez as he turned out of a corner and accelerated in the last 300 meters.

"These are good times. I wouldn't have bet on taking the yellow jersey today," Voeckler said. "Time passes and I appreciate this one even more."

Frenchman Sandy Casar finished third, and all three had been part of a breakaway early in the stage.

Flecha and Hoogerland had also formed part of the same early break, but their chances of a stage victory ended with about 36 kms to go when a Tour car swerved into Flecha's side. Neither rider appeared badly hurt.

Hushovd had worn the yellow jersey since his Garmin-Cervelo team won last Sunday's team time trial, but the burly sprinter looked tired as he rolled over the line several minutes behind Voeckler.

This year's Tour has already seen several spectacular crashes, but none as wild as on Sunday.

Vinokourov, who has said he will retire from cycling at the end of the season, was caught in a heavy crash that sent him and about 30 other riders tumbling like a house of cards. Several other riders retired as well.

Vinokourov was carried back up a small bank by an Astana team-mate and staff member. They had rushed to his aid as he lay momentarily next to a tree, and helped him up on his feet by putting their arms around him.

Contador, having survived that early scare, stayed bunched in with the main pack, along with other Tour contenders such as two-time runner-ups Cadel Evans and Andy Schleck.

They all crossed the line safely, choosing not to chase Voeckler - who is not a Tour contender.

Voeckler and Casar, both former stage winners, upped the tempo in the first big climb of the day - the 7.7 km ascent up Col du Pas de Peyrol - and the small front group was more than three minutes clear when they reached the top.

As the pack approached the second category 2 climb of the day up Col du Perthus, a mass crash had stricken riders picking themselves off the ground.

They included Jurgen Van Den Broeck and Frederik Willems, both Belgian riders on Omega Pharma-Lotto's team, and American David Zabriskie of the Garmin-Cervelo team. All three quit the race injured.

At the front of the peloton, in a show of solidarity, Philippe Gilbert and Fabian Cancellara asked the pack to wait for other fallen riders - which included Garmin-Cervelo's David Millar, who struggled on.

That extended the lead of the front five riders - and Voeckler's group was more than seven minutes clear after completing the 4.4 km Col du Perthus.

Voeckler and Hoogerland took turns going in front down the descents and up smaller climbs like Col de Cere and Cote de la Chevade - with Casar, Sanchez and Flecha still in the mini-group of five.

After completing the final tough climb of the day up Col de Prat de Bouc, Voeckler's group led the pack by 4:40.

After a Tour car took down Flecha and Hoogerland - who came close to landing in a barbed-wire fence - three riders were left to contest the stage, which culminated in a short, twisty and sharp 1.5 km climb up to Saint-Flour.

Monday's rest day comes at a perfect time for the battered riders.