Aurillac, France (My Sportsbook) - Luis-Leon Sanchez of Spain captured Stage 7 of the Tour de France on Friday, while Luxembourg's Kim Kirchen finished among the main pack and retained the yellow jersey as the overall leader.

Sanchez completed the 159-kilometer trek with five climbs in a time of three hours, 52 minutes and 53 seconds to earn his first career stage victory.

Germany's Stefan Schumacher finished second on Friday, six seconds behind. Filippo Pozzato of Italy was third, Kirchen was fourth and Spain's Alejandro Valverde was fifth -- all with the same time as Schumacher.

American Christian Vande Velde also finished with the main pack in ninth place, six seconds behind. In all, 22 riders were six seconds behind the stage winner.

Kirchen remained six seconds ahead of Australia's Cadel Evans in the overall standings. Evans also finished with the main pack on Friday in 12th place.

Schumacher, who lost the yellow jersey after a fall late in Stage 7, is still third overall -- 16 seconds behind Kirchen. Vande Velde is 44 seconds off the pace in fourth place, with Russia's Denis Menchov next -- 1:03 behind. Valverde, the early overall leader, is 1:12 behind in sixth.

With about four kilometers left, Sanchez broke away from the large lead pack that included Schumacher, Kirchen, Valverde and Vande Velde. He opened a lead of about 20 seconds and stretched it to nearly 40 seconds with three kilometers remaining and had enough left to reach the finish line first.

Saturday's eighth stage is a relatively flat 172.5-kilometer ride from Figeac to Toulouse. The Tour then heads to the Pyrenees for two days of high mountain work.