Voeckler tries to hold onto yellow jersey

Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux, France: French rider Thomas Voeckler led the Tour de France after the second and final race rest day as the pack heads out on the hilly 16th stage from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Gap, with title contenders hoping to save energy before hard days in the Alps later this week.

The 32-year-old Voeckler has had the lead since the crash-marred ninth stage. Barring an accident, Voeckler should still be in yellow after the 101-mile route that includes only one significant climb, the col de Manse, near the finish.The fast run-in to Gap takes the 170 remaining riders down the La Rochette descent made famous in 2003 when Spanish rider Joseba Beloki took a nasty fall on sticky tarmac, forcing Lance Armstrong to swerve dramatically and dash across a bumpy field to rejoin the race. Bureau Report