COLMAR, France (AP) — German rider Heinrich Haussler outclassed the pack with a solo breakaway Friday to win a rainy 13th stage of the Tour de France, and Lance Armstrong remained third overall after losing a crucial ally to injury before the ride began.
Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy retained the yellow jersey for a seventh straight day after the chilly and wet ride from Vittel to Colmar, crossing the line with seven-time champion Armstrong, second-place Alberto Contador and the pre-race favorites 6 minutes, 43 seconds back.
Haussler, a 25-year-old Cervelo rider who won a stage at Paris-Nice in March, raced ahead of the second of two fellow breakaway riders in the last 50 kilometers (31 miles) and continued to build a gap on the peloton as the finish neared.
Haussler cupped his face in his hands and choked up with emotion as he crossed the line in 4:56:26 — 4:11 ahead of second-place Amets Txurruka of Spain. Brice Feillu of France was third, 6:13 back.
"I was really happy. I just got teary," said Haussler, who was born in Australia to a German father. "I just couldn't believe it. ... I was just so nervous that I was going to crash."
"It's a really big win for me."
Haussler, who collected his first Tour stage victory, had come into the stage in 105th place overall — 55:24 behind Nocentini. He rose to 83rd overall with his win, 48:41 off the leader's pace.
Friday's 200-kilometer (124.3-mile) stage through the rolling Vosges hills of northeast France featured three big climbs, including the category-1 Col du Platzerwasel.
The standings among the pre-race favorites didn't change.
Armstrong remained eight seconds behind Nocentini. Contador, the 2007 Tour champion and Armstrong's teammate with Astana, is six seconds behind Nocentini.
In a blow to Astana and Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer withdrew after breaking his wrist a day earlier. The American fell off his bike about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the finish line Thursday in a crash involving two-time Tour runner-up Cadel Evans.
Leipheimer, a four-time top-10 finisher at the Tour, including a third-place finish in 2007, had been fourth overall, 39 seconds behind Nocentini.
Leipheimer and Armstrong have a close relationship within Astana, which Armstrong says is riven by "tension" with Contador.
"He's a good friend of mine so it makes it even more unfortunate, but that's cycling," Armstrong said of Leipheimer, adding that the withdrawal would affect Astana.
"You saw even there, in some stages in the Pyrenees, when there was an attack, we had four guys there. And now, one's gone," Armstrong said. "Not only does it hurt us, I think it helps the others in terms of morale, and thinking perhaps that the team has been weakened."
It first appeared Thursday that Leipheimer might remain in the race.
"It's unfortunate. It's part of bike racing," Armstrong. "It seemed like an insignificant crash that all of a sudden turned out to be pretty major."
The Texan also expressed impatience Friday with criticism from French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot about Astana. She said team riders stayed out of sight too long during a random anti-doping check last week.
"Enough is enough," Armstrong said. "This is ridiculous. We've been controlled more than anybody else on the race. We have had this team for a long time. We've never had a positive control. Yes, we are successful. Yes, we are the strongest team in the race. But enough of the (outcry) in the media."
Bachelot on Thursday criticized "a little bit of avoidance going on" when an anti-doping official had to wait to test team riders for nearly an hour.
Riders used earpieces in the stage after the International Cycling Union buckled under pressure from many teams and lifted a planned ban of them in Friday's stage. That decision meant riders raced with electronic radio gear as normal, with coaches informing them of possible attacks and about hazards on the roads.
Tuesday's 10th stage had caused consternation because an earpiece ban was enacted in a bid to force riders to manage the course on their own and in hopes of adding drama to the race.
Saturday's 14th stage is a 199-kilometer (123.7-mile) trek through plains from Colmar to Besancon — a day before a trip into Switzerland and to the ski resort of Verbier that many riders believe will shake up the overall standings.
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AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.
