28 July 2008

PARIS - Spain's Carlos Sastre wrapped up his maiden Tour de France triumph here on Sunday following the final stage of the race into Paris.

Sastre, a 33-year-old climbing specialist who rides for the CSC team, became the seventh Spaniard to win the race's yellow jersey and the third consecutively after Oscar Pereiro (2006) and Alberto Contador (2007).

"I've dreamt of this since I was a child," said an emotional Sastre, who was surrounded by his wife and two children, Claudia and Yeday.

"I'm beyond words, to be here with my family is really special."

Silence-Lotto's Cadel Evans was runner-up for the second consecutive year, the Australian finishing 1min 05sec behind Sastre after failing to eradicate a 1min 34sec deficit to the Spaniard in the penultimate stage time trial.

A surprise third place went to Gerolsteiner's Bernhard Kohl of Austria, who stepped onto the podium in Paris wearing the polka dot jersey for the race's 'King of the Mountains'.

"To find myself both on the podium and with the polka dot jersey is incredible," said Kohl, who secured his jersey before the final climb of the race.

"When I realised I had a chance of finishing on the Tour podium I gave it everything I could."

Sastre's CSC team had cause for further celebration, having topped the teams' classification and seen Andy Schleck win the white jersey for the best placed rider aged 25 and under.

Considered a future yellow jersey contender, Schleck is keen to keep his feet on the ground.

"I still have plenty of work to do," said the 23-year-old, a runner-up at last year's Giro d'Italia.

"The white jersey wasn't my objective this year, working for the team was.

But next year I want to come back with better form."

Schleck's older brother Frank - the Luxembourg champion - finished in sixth place overall having worn the yellow jersey for two days in the Alps.

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