CYCLING: Salute of a mountain daredevil Sanchez

With no thought for his welfare, the Caisse d'Epargne rider cemented his reputation as the new descending daredevil of cycling by throwing his bike around corners that had others backing off in fear.

Heavens above: Sanchez points skywards after his stage win

By the time he hit the flat roads leading into Aurillac - the umbrella manufacturing capital of France - Sanchez had built up an unassailable lead, allowing him to freewheel over the line and savour the victory as he pointed to the heavens.

Yellow jersey wearer Kim Kirchen preserved his overall lead by finishing fourth in the chasing group after two days of rolling up and down the mountains of the Massif Central, which act as a precursor to the Pyrenees.

For race favourite Cadel Evans, the priority during the first week has been to conserve energy while shadowing the yellow jersey.

With a deficit of six seconds on Kirchen, the Australian could not have hoped for a smoother opening to the race.

A fierce cross-wind on the 100-mile stage from Brioude caused havoc all day, most notably when Francaise des Jeux rider Lilian Jegou was sent hurtling into a tree - a horrific crash from which the Frenchman was fortunate to escape with just a broken wrist. 

Jegou was taken to hospital, his Tour over.

The consolation is that at least the rider will be able to return home to his pregnant wife, who is due to give birth in the next few days.

Had the conditions been easier, the field might have taken a moment to enjoy the stunning scenery of the southern Massif Central with its volcanoes and rustic hill villages.

As it was, the day became an exercise in self-preservation. The summit of the second category two climb of the day, the Puy Mary, was shrouded in mountain mist as the leading group of four riders made their way across with an advantage of one-and-a-half minutes.

With the fog adding a dampness to the road surface in the tree line, the descent became a perilous pastime even for the best bike riders in the world.

Saunier-Duval Scott rider David De La Fuente skidded around one corner, narrowly avoiding hurtling over a crash barrier into the unknown.

The Spaniard's nerve was shot for the remainder of that descent, but he recovered his poise on the final climb of the day to claim the polka dot jersey awarded to the Tour's best overall climber.

Scot David Millar, who had a puncture midway through the stage, dropped to seventh overall after finishing in the second group of riders

(Today, stage 8, Figeac-Toulouse: 107miles)