Colombian Santiago Botero today claimed his second stage win of the Tour de France, his third overall, as the 15th and longest stage rode into the Alps for the first of three days of climbing.
After 226.5km of riding from Vaison La Romaine to here, the talented Kelme rider claimed another memorable Alpine win - after that of 2000 - with some fine climbing on the last few kilometres to clock a time of 5hr 55min 16secs.
Belgian Mario Aerts, the Lotto rider who hadrt of Botero's breakaway group earlier on in the race, finished second at 1min 51secs, with another Belgian, Axel Merckx, third at 2:30.
On what was a relatively easy first day compared to Wednesday's killer stage, the peloton containing race leader Lance Armstrong began to arrive five minutes later, with Armstrong finishing at 6:41.
The 30-year-old American three-time winner retains the yellow jersey, which he is favoured to hold on to until the race arrives in Paris on Sunday.
His 4:21 lead over second placed (overall) Spaniard Joseba Beloki remains intact, with Lithuanian surprise Raimondas Rumsas, who gave Beloki a scare just before the line when he raced away, still third at 6:39.
"It wasn't too hard todaya relaxed-looking Armstrong after the race. "The team worked well again, they were pretty solid.
"Les Deux Alpes isn't too difficult, but it went off at a fast pace."
As Armstrong prepared to spend his fifth straight night in yellow, Botero was celebrating chipping a massive seven minutes off his pre-stage deficit of 18:36.
He has since moved him up 11 places to seventh overall at 11:31, is now third in the race for the polka dot jersey and has equalled his legendary comLucho Herrera for the number of stage wins on the Tour.
Botero, a devout Catholic who is helped to train back home by a bunch of professional riders whose club folded recently, has been making a name for himself over the past few seasonsis audacious breakaway in 2000, after 249.5km and three climbs, handed him a memorable, first stage win at Briancon and Colombia's first polka dot jersey for the best climber since 1987.
But the man who tamed Armstrong in the ninth stage time trial in Lorient was quick to point out that it's not easy training yourself, away from your whole team, and at over 5000 feet altitude.
"When I win the first thing that comes to my mind is all the sacrifices I have made.
"I work hard while I'm in Colombia and training at the velodrome," Botero said after the race.
Botero was only five minutes off Armstrong's pace prior to the Ventoux stage on Sunday. He went on to lose over 15 minutes on a climb where he was expected to do better.
"Losing all that time on the Ventoux hit me quite hard, so I knew I had to do something today to get it back. I tried to attack from the outset but I was soon pulled back.
"But I knew I simply had to be patient before going for it."
Botero was finally given his chance to leave the peloton on the ascent of the first of the stage's seven climbs.
Botero, Aerts and Nicki Sorensen of Denmark teamed up to build a decent lead before the group increased to seven. With none a menace to Armstrong, they were allowed to race ahead.
At the back of the peloton, however, there was chaos for French hope Christophe Moreau who was forced to abandon after yet another fall.
From then on the seven riders built their lead to just over 10 minutes as the US Postal team of Armstrong led the peloton.
On the final climb to Les Deux Alpes Botero pulled ahead of his companions with just under 10km to race to the 1650-metre high ski station after a series of attempts by Merckx, then Aerts had foundered.
Botero went on to build an unassailable lead over Merckx, the son of Tour legend Eddy who, despite taking the honours on five of the stage's seven climbs, was left trailing behind Aerts minutes before the line appeared.
But after those riders crossed the line there was further drama.
Lampre rider Rumsas, who is bidding to finish on the Champs Elysees podium, made a break shortly before the line in a bid to steal some precious seconds, and finish line bots, from Beloki.
The little Basque chased after the stocky blond rider in what initially appeared as an escape bid from Armstrong.
Although Armstrong was never under threat, as a matter of principle he followed Beloki to the line. - AFP