LYON (AFP) - Omega-Pharma's Matteo Trentin handed Italy its maiden win of the 100th Tour de France, when he beat Michael Albasini and Andrew Talansky in a sprint finish at the end of an entertaining 14th stage on Saturday.

Britain's yellow jersey holder Chris Froome, of Team Sky, came over the finish line with the main peloton and his chief rivals just over seven minutes adrift.

Froome did not come under attack during the undulating 191km ride from Saint-Pourcain-sur-Sioule to Lyon and still leads Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Belkin) by 2min 28sec and Spain's former two-time winner Alberto Contador (Saxo) by 2:45.

A day after Froome and several leading challengers lost 1:09 to key rivals Contador and Mollema, the contenders for overall victory kept their powder dry ahead of Sunday's first summit finish at Mont Ventoux.