JULIAN PRETOT Alberto Contador stamped his authority on this year's race when he left Lance Armstrong trailing in his wake following a bold, morale-sapping attack in the final ascent of the seventh stage yesterday.

The Spaniard made his move with two kilometres remaining in the 10.6-kilometre climb to the Arcalis ski station and the seven-times winner Armstrong could not keep up the pace.

France's Brice Feillu snatched a solo victory in the 224km stage from Barcelona ahead of compatriot Christophe Kern and German Johannes Froehlinger.

Contador is now second in the overall standings, six seconds adrift of Italy's Rinaldo Nocentini, who took the yellow jersey from Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara after being part of a nine-man breakaway.

Armstrong, who started the day level on time with Cancellara, is third, two seconds behind his Astana team-mate and rival.

"There was no real plan, it the attack was not really expected but not surprising," said Armstrong, who is back on the saddle after more than three years in retirement. "I feel quite good but it was not a steep climb."

However, the Texan would not concede defeat to Contador, whose performance showed he can now demand to be Astana's sole leader.

"Like I always said, there is still a long way to go," Armstrong said, although he left the door ajar to Contador, adding: "Like I said all along, I have to think about the team.

"Overall I feel pretty good, I'm not as knackered as I thought I would be. Things did not quite go according to the plan set earlier today but it was a fine day overall."

The question on everybody's lips at the start of the stage was whether Armstrong would claim the yellow jersey he last wore on the Champs-Elysees in 2005 before retiring.

For a long time yesterday, it seemed he would fulfil his dream as the favourites' group perfectly chased the nine-man breakaway. Australian Cadel Evans, twice a Tour runner-up, was the first to try his luck but the Astana team did not let him go.

When Contador powered ahead without giving notice, the favourites were left stuck on the tar and the Spaniard accelerated twice more to discourage them from trying to catch him.

Johan Bruyneel, the Astana manager, said he wished Nocentini had clinched the yellow jersey by a bigger margin as the AG2R rider is likely to lose it in Saturday's second mountain stage, putting the pressure of controlling the race back on the Kazakh-funded outfit.

"Our plan was to let a breakaway go with someone in it taking the yellow jersey,"

Bruyneel said. "We were hoping there would be bigger margins. Six seconds, it's not a lot."

The escapees built a maximum gap of 12:30 but the pace in the favourites' group eventually proved too high. "We had to set that pace to avoid attacks from Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre," said Bruyneel.

Levi Leipheimer and green jersey holder Mark Cavendish were involved in a crash shortly before the last climb but they made it unhurt to the line.

Among the favourites, Evans, defending champion Carlos Sastre and Andy Schleck were part of an 11-man group that crossed the line 3:47 behind Feillu - 21 seconds adrift of Contador.

As for Nocentini, who became the first Italian to lead the Tour in nine years, he knows he is unlikely to hold the yellow jersey for long.

"When I joined the break after just four kilometres, I had no intention of taking the jersey," said the rider from Arezzo, who has won only 12 minor races in the professional ranks after being considered one of the best juniors of his generation.

"This is my first Tour and I came here to win a stage. The yellow jersey is every rider's dream and I took it on my first Tour. I was pretty confident on the last climb until Contador made his blistering attack. It was close but I'm a happy man now. I don't care if I keep the yellow jersey one, two or three days. Just to hold it once is enough."

The AG2R team leader, known as a bon viveur, was planning to celebrate. "I come from Arezzo, which is a wine region and I love red wine and partying," he said.