Freire shows sprinting prowess to win stage

By Julien Pretot

DIGNE LES BAINS, France (Reuters) - Three-times world champion Oscar Freire honoured 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.

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.