Schumacher takes yellow after stage win

(CNN) -- German rider Stefan Schumacher claimed the biggest victory of his career on Tuesday, winning the first individual time-trial of the Tour de France to take the leader's yellow jersey.

Schumacher completed the 29.5 kilometers (18.3 miles) fourth stage course around Cholet in 35 minutes and 44 seconds, ahead of Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg and Briton David Millar.

The Gerolsteiner rider took the yellow jersey away from France's Romain Feillu, who won it on Monday following a long breakaway.

"I gave a lot yesterday, and I was very nervous today," said Feillu, who finished five minutes behind Schumacher. "I just didn't have the strength."

The big winner of the day was pre-race favorite to Cadel Evans, who saw all his main rivals for the overall title lose time to him.

The Australian finished fourth, 27 seconds off the pace, while Alejandro Valverde of Spain was 23rd, more than a minute back, with his compatriot Carlos Sastre a further five places and nine seconds behind.

Time-trial world champion Fabian Cancellara -- who was favorite for the stage -- struggled from the beginning and finished down in fifth position. "It wasn't my day today. I couldn't find the rhythm and the sensations I normally have," said the Swiss -- who wore the yellow jersey for a week last year after winning the London prologue.

Schumacher, the winner of last year's Amstel Gold Race and winner of two stages of the Giro d'Italia in 2006, now leads Kirchen and Millar by 12 seconds in the overall standings.

"I didn't come to win the Tour," Schumacher said. "My goal was to wear the jersey one day and to win a stage. I reached this goal, so everything else is a bonus.

"A lot of guys told me this circuit was good for me because it's really up and down, not too flat -- And the distance, between 20 and 30km was good for me," added Schumacher.

"I'm really happy because it was a good performance from me and I didn't make any mistakes. Cancellara was the big favorite, even for me. So to be half a minute faster than him was a big surprise for me."

Schumacher is expected to hold onto the yellow jersey for at least another day, as Wednesday's stage favors the sprinters with the peloton likely to stay together.

The 232-kilometer (144.2-mile) stage from Cholet to Chateauroux is the longest and flattest stage of this year's race.