Italian Riccardo Ricco paraded his climbing skills with a stunning attack on the first mountain test of the Tour de France yesterday to claim his second stage victory.

Riccardo Ricco of Italy reacts as he crosses the finish line to win the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Toulouse and Bagneres-de-Bigorre, southern France, Sunday July 13, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

The Giro d'Italia runner-up dropped the race favorites on the ascent of the category-one Col d'Aspin on the ninth stage with a sudden burst of speed and never looked back.

A winner in an uphill finish on the sixth stage, Saunier-Duval's Ricco beat Russian Vladimir Efimkin, the AG2r-La Mondiale rider crossing the line one minute four seconds later.

France's Cyril Dessel, also of AG2r-La Mondiale, was third, 13 seconds behind, after winning the sprint of the favorites' group.

Australian Cadel Evans, widely seen as the overall favorite, crashed midway through the stage and sustained bruises on his left knee, elbow and thigh.

"We are not worried from a medical point of view. There will just be the usual effects of a crash," said race doctor Gerard Porte.

Moments after mopping up Evans' cuts, Porte treated another Tour contender, Alejandro Valverde, who still has cuts and bruises down his right side after falling in the fifth stage.

Porte sprayed the Spaniard's right calf for a few seconds as he also pulled up alongside the doctor's car.

Evans remains second in the overall standings six seconds behind yellow jersey holder Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg. American Chris Vande Velde of the Garmin-Chipotle team is third, 44 seconds behind.

"Cadel had a heavy fall, that's what I know," said Silence-Lotto's sports director Hendrik Redant.