Italian Mario Cipollini won his second successive Tour de France stage yesterday when he took the 233.5km fifth stage from Bonneval.

Estonian Jann Kirsipuu, who finished third in the sprint, retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.

The 32-year-old Cipollini, nicknamed the "Lion King", won a superb sprint holding off a late surge by Belgian Tom Steels with Kirsipuu taking third.

Cipollini, who was winning his 10th career stage in the Tour and 143rd overall, lived up to his nickname to overhaul German Erik Zabel, who is still without a stage win, in the final 20 metres to take command.

Australian Robbie McEwen took fifth behind Zabel, but his compatriot Stuart O'Grady lost any chance of taking the yellow jersey when he got blocked just before Zabel launched the initial attack in the sprint - though none of that mattered to Cipollini.

"It was ideal conditions as it was a long straight for me," he said.

"I saw Erik Zabel ahead of me but I think he is weaker this year than last year and knew I could take him out.

"It was a great victory," he added.

Meanwhile, Willy Voet, the man who sparked off last year's Tour de France scandal, said yesterday that lying cyclists are being allowed to compete in this year's race.

The ex-Festina masseur was speaking on the same day 12 months on that he was picked up by customs on the Franco-Belgium border with a bootload of drugs.

Asked for his reaction to Richard Virenque's readmission to the Tour Voet said: "At first, when I learned about Virenque's expulsion, I thought it was a move in the right direction.

"Then, the fact that the UCI (cycling's governing body) had overturned the decision, disappointed me because it means that liars are riding in the peloton.

"It was then that I thought of myself and (Bruno) Roussel (Festina's former boss). I said to myself: `we told the truth and we've been banned from the Tour'. It's that which hurts the most."

Voet remained sceptical about whether the sport had been successfully cleansed of drugs.

"I don't think it's possible in a few months to eliminate a system of doping which has been going on for years, to stop all that at one go.

"The French controls are excellent but the whole world has to follow their lead and that's not happening. It's a shame."

Voet's lawyer said yesterday that the judicial inquiry into the affair should be reopened.

Judge Patrick Keil, the man heading the year-long probe, closed the dossier 72 hours before the start of this year's Tour de France. But Jean-Louis Bessis said: "Judge Keil's closed his dossier just at the time when there's all to play for."