Wednesday's moment shows the intensity of the efforts made by riders in their pursuit of victory in the Tour.

In a state of exhaustion, the Australian Brad McGee briefly blacked out seconds after crossing the line in second place in the small village of Sarran.

Thankfully, oxygen and a fizzy drink soon brought him round.

The 25-year-old was beaten in a two-up sprint for the line by the German rider Jens Voigt, but McGee was so tired it was hardly a contest.

Two-man break

He had given everything after a long stage in the hot sun and said afterwards he could not even see properly for the last five kilometres, so close was he to passing out.

McGee, from Sydney, is riding the race for the first time and found his way into a seven-man breakaway group, which built up a massive lead over the main peloton.

In the closing kilometres, he broke away from the other five with Jens Voigt and they contested the finish.

Voigt has been unlucky not to win a stage before and deserved his win, but McGee has now finished third and second on stages in this year's race, and it can only be a matter of time before he too secures the result he so desires.