Freire wins Tour de France's 14th stage

DIGNE-LES-BAINES, France, July 19 (UPI) -- Oscar Freire of Spain dashed to a win in the Tour de France's 14th stage Saturday but Australia's Cadel Evans clung to the yellow leader's jersey by one second.

Freire out-sprinted the pack in the final 110 yards of the nearly 121-mile run from Nimes to Digne-les-Baines in four hours, 13 minutes and eight seconds. It was his first stage win in this year's event and the fourth of his career.

Leonardo Duque of Colombia was a bike length back in second and Erik Zabel of Germany was third. Ninety riders were given the same time as the stage winner.

Evans was one second ahead of Luxembourg's Frank Schleck in the overall standings after finishing 28th Saturday. Schleck finished the stage 34th.

In third place overall -- 38 seconds back -- was American Christian Vande Velde, who was 21st Saturday. Austria's Bernhard Kohl finished 32nd in the stage and remained 46 seconds behind Evans.

Denis Menchov of Russia is in fifth place, followed by Spain's Carlos Sastre and Luxembourg's Kim Kirchen.

Sunday's grueling 113-mile 15th stage takes place in the Alps and will be followed by a rest day.