LOURDES, France – Thor Hushovd of Norway won the 13th stage of the Tour de France and Thomas Voeckler of France kept the yellow jersey Friday on a ride through the Pyrenees.

Jeremy Roy nearly captured a Tour stage for the first time with his attack at the foot of the huge climb to Col d’Aubisque. But the Frenchman couldn’t hold off Hushovd and David Moncoutie, who overtook Roy near the line and finished second.

“I really didn’t think I would win this stage,” said Hushovd, who was also part of the Garmin-Cervelo team that won the team time trial early in the race. “I did things right tactically.”

Voeckler was part of the main pack that lagged nearly nine minutes behind Hushovd. Voeckler held the overall lead for another day heading into a mammoth climbing stage.

Defending champion Alberto Contador of Spain and two-time runners-up Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans didn’t chase as they conserved energy for today.

“I was pretty tired from (Thursday) and (today is) a big day,” Evans said.

“There will be fireworks, don’t worry.”

None of the main rivals took any time off each other, and there was no repeat of Thursday’s attacks in which a weary Contador lost 13 seconds to Schleck and Evans.

Frank Schleck is second overall — 17 seconds ahead of Evans, 28 seconds ahead of younger brother Andy and 2:11 clear of Contador.

Contador has been nursing a sore right knee after hitting it twice in separate crashes.

“I don’t feel any pressure,” Frank Schleck said. “I’m convinced that I’m not going to have any regrets.”

Hushovd, a two-time winner of the Tour’s green jersey for best sprinter, won the 95-mile stage in 3 hours, 47 minutes, 36 seconds.

He is more used to dashing to the finish line than grinding uphill, but has worked hard on his climbing ability to become a more complete rider.

“It’s the best stage I’ve ever won on the Tour de France,” said Hushovd, who has nine individual stage victories and two more from team time trials. “To win on my own is even more special. It’s very emotional for me.”

Having done his hard work climbing, Roy played it safe descending the 26 miles to the finish. He had a nervous moment when a fan brushed him with a flag, causing him to swerve. But he still seemed set for victory until Hushovd — a world champion rated among the best in downhills — started attacking on the descent.

“It’s true that I descend very well,” Hushovd said. “I knew I had to. It was super.”

Hushovd had caught Moncoutie with about 15 miles remaining, and they took turns trying to close the gap on Roy, who led by 1:10 with 12 miles to go. That was cut to 18 seconds with six miles remaining, and Hushovd caught him with a mile left.

Roy’s previous best on the Tour had been a second-place stage finish in 2008.

“The disappointment is too big. It will be hard to take in,” Roy said. “It’s too hard for me. Only victory counts.”