KEY POINTS:
AUTUN - Favourite Alexander Vinokourov lost ground in the Tour de France and faces riding the rest of the race without super-domestique Andreas Kloeden after both men crashed during Friday's (NZ time) fifth stage.
Astana team leader Vinokourov went down because of a snapped chain with 25 km remaining of stage from Chablis to Autun and crossed the finish line one minute and 20 seconds behind winner Italian Filippo Pozzato.
Kloeden, who crashed earlier in the 182.5-km ride, sustained a suspected coccyx fracture and is a major doubt for Friday's start.
Both riders were taken to hospital for medical checks.
Asked if he was concerned about Vinokourov's condition, Astana manager Marc Biver said: "He is a warrior, I'm not too worried. I'm more worried about Kloeden, who has a suspected coccyx fracture."
Vinokourov, who ripped his shorts and suffered grazing to his right buttock in the crash, tried to rejoin the peloton with the help of six team mates but the collective effort failed to bear fruit and the Kazakh went solo to limit the damage.
He dropped to 81st in the overall standings, two minutes 10 seconds adrift of leader Fabian Cancellara.
Kloeden, runner-up overall in 2004 and third last year, was second in the standings, 33 seconds behind the Swiss.
Liquigas rider Pozzato outsprinted Spaniard Oscar Freire of the Rabobank team for the stage win, with Italian Daniele Benatti coming home third for Lampre.
"The last 50km were really hard but I had good sensations," Pozzato told reporters.
"I was hoping Alejandro Valverde would not attack but he did not move. During the final sprint, I touched Benatti and attacked Freire who then could not keep the pace. It's a great result for me."
Swiss CSC rider Cancellara retained the race leader's yellow jersey after finishing safe in the main pack.
"We managed to defend the jersey with the help of the Liquigas team, who deserve the stage win today," Cancellara said.
Belgian Philippe Gilbert, France's Sylvain Chavanel and William Bonnet along with Giampaolo Cheula broke away after 19km to build a 15-minute advantage.
Gilbert and Chavanel went on their own 52km from the line but were eventually caught by the main pack.
Cofidis rider Chavanel took the polka-dot jersey off team mate Stephane Auge's shoulders.
With Belgian Tom Boonen struggling on the category-three ascent to the Cote de la Croix de la Liberation, German Erik Zabel of the Milram team took the green jersey.
- REUTERS
