Vicente Garcia-Acosta of Spain, riding for Banesto, won the 13th stage of the Tour de France Friday, a 185.5km ride from Avignon to Draguignan.
Garcia Acosta, 27, celebrated his first career stage win on the Tour after crossing the line in 4hr 03min 02sec ahead of French duo Nicolas Jalabert and Pascal Herve, both deprived of a home win on Bastille Day.
Overall race leader and defending champion Lance Armstrong retained the yellow jersey, he leads 1997 winner Jan Ullrich by 4min 55sec, after coming in 10min behind the leaders.
Garcia-Acosta, whose previous claim to fame was winning a stage of the 1997 Tour of Spain, gave Spain their second stage win this year after Javier Otxoa's win at Hautacam last Monday.
"It's a great win for me after a couple of second places in 1998. I've been waiting a long time, years, for this. It was very difficult but I got into the leading trio after we attacked and held on for the win," said Garcia Acosta.
Fourth place on the day went to Guido Trentin of Vini Caldirola with Stephane Heulot of Francaise des Jeux at his wheel 57sec off the pace.
Belgium's Marc Wauters of Rabobank was the big winner on the day, jumping from 17th to fourth overall after he came in with the second group – (AFP)
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