Zabel went into second overall

The peloton had spent most of the 181km stage chasing a small splinter group which went clear 11km after the start.

Sylvain Chavanel (Bonjour) made the break and was followed by Thors Hushovd (Credit Agricole) and Stephane Berges (AG2R), who spent most of stage one out in front.

The trio gradually built up a lead of over five minutes before Norwegian Hushovd dropped back suffering from leg cramp.

Hushovd was consumed by the chasing peloton with 50km to go as the remaining two riders surged onwards.

But with 35 km to go the lead had been whittled down to under a minute and Berges and Chavanel shook hands and accepted that their breakaway was coming to an end.

Bertogliati retained the yellow jersey

The peloton were being driven along by the Lampre team of Bertogliati and as the gap came down to 25 seconds, Credit Agricole's Jens Voigt powered off the front.

The German quickly caught the leading French pair and surged away from them.

Voigt pushed out his lead to 50 seconds with 17km left as the German Telekom team drove the chasing pack for sprint specialist Zabel.

Voigt was eventually caught on the small climb of Riegeisberg with 11km to go.

But immediately his team-mate Sebastian Hinault tried his luck with an ultimately short-lived break down the road.

As the run-in approached Bertogliati's Lampre team set a fast pace before the Telekom team took over.

But Mapei's Freire emerged at the front to hold off McEwen and Zabel on the line.