Hunter wins crash-hit sprint for 11th stage

By Julien Pretot

MONTPELLIER, France (Reuters) - South African Robert Hunter won a crash-hit bunch sprint to take the 182.5-km 11th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday.

The Barloworld rider beat Swiss time trial world champion Fabian Cancellara of the CSC team by half a wheel. Brazil's Murilo Fischer came home third for the Liquigas team.

"It was a very difficult stage, there was a lot of wind. It was not easy to win in such a crazy finish," said Hunter, who is the first South African to win a Tour stage.

"It is very important to me to win a stage on the Tour de France. I am speechless."

Barloworld, who were invited to compete in the race by Tour organizers, clinched their second stage win following Colombia's Juan Mauricio Soler's in Briancon on Tuesday.

Belgian Tom Boonen did not compete in the final sprint after being delayed by a massive crash some 800 meters from the line.

France's Christophe Moreau, who was sixth overall and aiming for a podium in Paris, finished 3:20 behind the winner after being caught by a sudden burst of acceleration from the Astana team at the front of the peloton, 70 km from the finish.

"We limited the damage, it could have ended in chaos," said Moreau.

"What Vino did was not unfair. Settling scores is part of the sport. When I attacked (in the Alps) he was not well. Today I was the one who was not that well."

YELLOW JERSEY

The French champion dropped to 14th in the overall standings, six minutes 38 seconds adrift of Dane Michael Rasmussen of the Rabobank team, who retained the yellow jersey.

"Was it an easy day? Ask Christophe Moreau," Rasmussen told reporters. "There is still a long way to Paris but Moreau has definitely lost the Tour.

"I was not surprised by Astana's attack as I was riding in front of the peloton," he added.

German Erik Zabel and Norway's Thor Hushovd were also left behind and did not take part in the final sprint.

The day's breakaway ended 38 km from the line after the Astana and Quick Step teams upped the pace and rode at breakneck speed.