Savoldelli adds to Discovery Channel Tour triumphs

Giro d'Italia champion Paolo Savoldelli completed a near-perfect Tour de France for Lance Armstrong's Discovery Channel team when he won the longest stage in Revel yesterday.

The 32-year-old Italian outsprinted breakaway companion Kurt-Asle Arvesen of Norway at the end of the 239.5-km stage from Pau to give the six-times champion's team their third stage win of the Tour.

Australian Simon Gerrans took third place and France's Sebastien Hinault was fourth.

Race leader Armstrong finished in a bunch of riders some 22 minutes later, his overall lead intact.

Discovery Channel won the team time trial in the fourth stage while George Hincapie won the hardest mountain stage in Pla d'Adet on Sunday and the American outfit also leads the team classification.

Armstrong, who leads Italian Ivan Basso by 2:46 overall, has yet to win a stage, a situation he is expected to correct on Saturday in the penultimate stage, a 55.5-km individual time trial.