AURILLAC, France (Reuters) - Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez of the Caisse d'Epargne team won the seventh stage of the Tour de France, a 159-km ride from Brioude to Aurillac on Friday.

German Stefan Schumacher of the Gerolsteiner team finished second and Italy's Filippo Pozzato came home third for the Liquigas team.

Luxembourg's Kim Kirchen of Team Columbia retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Miles Evans)