MONTPELLIER, France -- Thomas Voeckler kept up with the big Tour de France favourites in the mountains. Hes had the yellow jersey for six days. And cycling experts such as Lance Armstrong think the Frenchman could even take the treasured shirt home when the race ends on July 24. The biggest nonbeliever? Voeckler himself. "I will fight of course, but I mustnt be dishonest," Voeckler said after retaining the overall lead in the flat 15th stage, won Sunday by British sprint star Mark Cavendish. "I consider that I have zero per cent chance of winning the Tour de France." For many French fans, Voecklers surprising success has rekindled cautious optimism that the ultimate in Tour glory could return home for the first time since Bernard Hinault got the last of his five victories in 1985. Voeckler isnt going there. "I dont want to lie to the public," he said. "Maybe it would make for good publicity, I dont know, but it doesnt interest me. ... Im not going to announce to the French people that Im in yellow, I have a chance to win." Such humility has been rare at cyclings premier event in recent years, when riders such as Armstrong or three-time champion Alberto Contador of Spain made winning their primary job -- and unabashedly bared their ambition from the get-go. For Voeckler, it may just be about managing expectations. "Its not a question of wanting. Everybody would like to win the Tour," Voeckler said. "Its true that since Bernard Hinault, the French people want a winner -- I really sense it well." Voeckler leads Frank Schleck of Luxembourg by one minute 49 seconds, and Cadel Evans of Australia is third, 2:06 back. Schlecks younger brother Andy is 2:15 behind in fourth and Ivan Basso of Italy is fifth -- 3:16 behind off the pace. Three-time champ Alberto Contador of Spain is seventh, four minutes behind. Victorias Ryder Hesjedal finished the stage 127th and is 32nd overall. Voeckler doesnt expect to hold off probable attackers in two punishing days in the Alps on Thursday and Friday, each featuring uphill finishes. Then, on Saturday, theres a final individual time trial -- a discipline in which he isnt among the best -- in and around Grenoble. The race ends Sunday. For the most part, the commentary this year has been that Contador, two-time runners-up Evans and Andy Schleck, plus the former Armstrong runner-up and longer-shot Basso -- have yet to battle. Voeckler, in a way, has been cast as just a bump in their road. But after three days in the Pyrenees that ended Saturday, where he surprisingly held on to the jersey, the big contenders are increasingly taking the Frenchman seriously. "Voeckler is in incredible form," said Contador, who hasnt been beyond using mind games since winning the Tour in 2007 and the last two years. "He has a big lead, it will be hard to make that up." Evans, referring to the general classification, or overall race standings, said: "Its still a bit strange because I think people still look at the Schleck brothers as favourites, but theyre two minutes down on the GC -- so its still about Voeckler for now." Lance Armstrong knows the French rider well: He wrested the yellow jersey from Voeckler after his 10-day run in it at the 2004 Tour. Armstrong tweeted Saturday that if Voeckler finished Saturdays Pyrenean stage with the favourites "then we have to say he can win the TdF." He did. The seven-time Tour champion then went further in his analysis. "Final TT is 42km. Hes French. Its the Tour de FRANCE," Armstrong wrote, referring to the final time trial. "He wont lose 2:06 in the final time trial ASSUMING... He keeps them close on Alpe dHuez." Fellow French riders whove seen Voeckler up close recently are cautious, with one floating the more reasonable expectation that he could become the first French podium finisher since Richard Virenque was second in 1997. "I think he can limit the damage in the big Alpine stages, but the last time-trial ..." Cofidis team rider Samuel Dumoulin said. "A place in the top five is possible or even, in the right circumstances, a place on the podium." Voeckler and his squad want to just race -- and see how things turn out, possibly as a way to manage expectations -- and sidestep the question: Can he really win? "I dont answer this question -- and I dont ask it myself," said Jean-Rene Bernardeau, manager of Voecklers Europcar squad. "Thomas will give everything he can in the next week." As for Saturdays stage, Voeckler and the contenders cruised across after Cavendish in the mostly flat 192-kilometre route through vineyards from Limoux to Montpellier that favoured sprinters The 26-year-old British rider overcame high winds and "bashing" among riders in the pack for his fourth stage victory this year -- and the 19th of his career. He nosed ahead of American Tyler Farrar in second, and Alessandro Petacchi of Italy in third. Cavendish is now three career stage wins behind Armstrong -- who is fifth with 22. Belgiums Eddy Merckx holds the record with 34. As the stage began, five riders -- all about two hours behind Voeckler -- surged out of the pack at the mile mark, then built a lead of 4:15. But the pack, led by Cavendishs HTC-Highroad team, barrelled ahead late in the day and narrowed the gap on the breakaway. It was fully overtaken in the last three kilometres. "Today was brutal," said American George Hincapie, a teammate of Evans on the BMC team. "For a transition day it was harder than a lot of the mountain stages we did, it was full-on all day, fighting for position." "You couldnt let your guard down for one second." Monday is the second and final rest day before cyclists head into the foothills of the Alps for Stage 16 on Tuesday, a 162-kilometre ride from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Gap. Air Jordan 11 Legend Blue . On Wednesday night, the Mavericks and Kidd were reportedly putting the finishing touches on a multi-year contract. But Kidd changed his mind Thursday and decided to join the Knicks, according to the New York Daily News. Jordan 11 Legend Blue Pre Order . Maltais, from Petite-Riviere-Saint Francois, Que., led from start to finish to extend her lead in the race for the Crystal Globe. "It was a close final so I tried to focus on my own line," Maltais said. http://www.airshoesusasale.com/air-jordan-11.html . -- The Oklahoma City Barons entered Sundays game in the midst of a battle for playoff positioning. 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However, the Yankees have given him trouble in his career, as he is just 1-4 lifetime against them with a 6.55 ERA in 11 games, nine of which have been starts. New York drew first blood in this set on Tuesday, as Nick Swishers three-run homer highlighted a big second inning and Mark Teixeira -- who went deep for the 24th time this year -- finished with four RBI to help the Yankees to a 12-2 rout. Freddy Garcia (7-6) scattered eight hits and was charged with a pair of runs over six frames to win his second straight start for the AL East leaders, who have triumphed in seven of their last nine games and are now a season-high 15 games above .500..dddddddddddd. Zack Greinke (7-3) was pounded for the second time in three starts. The right- hander allowed five hits and seven runs over two innings for the Brewers, who were coming off a three-game sweep at home against Minnesota. I wasnt executing anything, and when I did a couple of times they took some good pitches and then I wasnt able to make another good pitch after that, Greinke said. I just couldnt pitch any worse than I did. Its no ones fault but mine. Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun extended his career-high hitting streak to 18 games with a double leading off the eighth inning. Tonight, New York will hand the ball to righty A.J. Burnett, who has lost three of his last four starts. Burnett was defeated by Colorado on Friday, as he allowed four runs and seven hits with five walks in 6 1/3 frames, dropping him to 7-6 on the year to go along with a 4.15 ERA. He struggled with his command tonight, said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. He seemed to really find it near the end more than any other point and seemed to get back on track, but he just couldnt really locate his fastball tonight. He was struggling with that. Burnett has faced Milwaukee five times and is 1-2 with a 6.39 ERA. cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '