Tour de France : Alcala Wins Third Stage, but Da Silva Still Leads

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium —  Raul Alcala became the first Mexican to win a stage of the Tour de France when he took the third leg Monday as Portugal’s Acacio da Silva retained the leader’s yellow jersey.

Alcala, 25, competing in his fourth Tour de France, started his professional career at the world’s most famous cycling race in 1986.

Alcala was timed in 6 hours 34 minutes 7 seconds for the 150-mile leg. The race started in Luxembourg, the site of the prologue and first two stages over the weekend, ended Monday in Belgium on the course of the Formula One track in Spa-Francorchamps.

Alcala led a group of five cyclists that broke away from the main pack with about 25 miles to go on the relatively flat section that included two moderate climbs.

Jesper Skibby of Denmark and Patrick Tolhoek of Belgium were second and third, both about five seconds behind Alcala.

Da Silva retained the yellow jersey as most of the racers did not want to make any efforts after four races in three days. Da Silva was 11th in the forefront of the pack that finished about 50 seconds behind the winner.

The defending champion, Pedro Delgado of Spain, after a disastrous weekend in which he arrived late for the prologue, still was near the end of the pack.

Today’s stage starts near Liege, Belgium, then enters France to end at Wasquehal, a 158-mile distance.