Ricardo Ricco has won the sixth stage of the Tour de France after sprinting to a mountaintop victory.

The Italian came in ahead of Alejandro Valverde, of Spain, and Australia's Cadel Evans at the end of the 195.5km stage from Aigurande to the ski resort of Super-Besse.

Kim Kirchen, of Luxembourg, leads the Tour after Stefan Schumacher, the holder of the yellow jersey going into the stage, fell close to the finish line. Kirchen, the Team Columbia rider, is six seconds ahead of Evans, with David Millar now in fifth.

Sixth stage (Aigurande to Super Besse, 195.5km): 1, R Ricco (It, Saunier Duval-Scott) 4hr 57min 52sec; 2, A Valverde (Sp, Caisse d’Epargne) 1sec behind; 3, C Evans (Aus, Silence-Lotto) same time; 4, F Schleck (Lux, Team CSC-Saxo Bank) 0:04; 5, K Kirchen (Lux, Team Columbia) same time; 6, M Dueñas (Sp, Barloworld) 0:07; 7, R Kreuziger (Cz, Liquigas); 8, C Sastre (Sp, Team CSC-Saxo Bank) both same time. British: 39, D Millar (Team Garmin-Chipotle) 0:51; 168, M Cavendish (Team Columbia) 17min 46sec.

Leading positions: Overall: 1, Kirchen 24:30:41; 2, Evans at 0:06; 3, S Schumacher (Ger, Gerolsteiner) 0:16; 4, C van de Velde (US, Team Garmin-Chipotle) 0:44; 5, Millar 0:47; 6, T Lövkvist (Swe, Team Columbia) 0:54; 7, D Menchov (Team Garmin-Chipotle) 1:03; 8, Valverde 1:12. Other British: 141, Cavendish 23:28.

Points: 1, Kirchen 97pts; 2, T Hushovd (Nor, Crédit Agricole) 88; 3, O Freire (Sp, Rabobank) 85.

King of the Mountains: 1, S Chavanel (Fr, Cofidis) 27; 2, T Voeckler (Fr, Bouygues Telecom) 27; 3, Riccò 20.