Turpin finished well ahead of Mayo and Mancebo

Gerolsteiner's American team leader Levi Leipheimer retained the overall lead in the Tour de France warm-up.

Turpin, winner of the 2005 Grand Prix de Rennes, broke away early and held on to win by 26 seconds from Spaniard Iban Mayo of the Euskatel team.

His AG2R team-mate Francisco Mancebo took third in Friday's gruelling leg through the French Alps.

As in Thursday's stage, riders faced an hors categorie, or beyond classification, climb up the 2,360m (7,743ft) Col de l'Izouard.

Saturday's ride could be even more punishing. Riders face four ascents - two ranked hors categorie - in the 169km trek from Briancon to La Toussuire.

Leipheimer holds a 28-second lead over Russia's Denis Menchov, who rides for the American's old team, Rabobank.

French rider Christophe Moreau of AG2R is third, 1:48 off the leader's pace.

Stage five results:
1. Ludovic Turpin (Fra/AG2R) 4:06:49"
2. Iban Mayo (Spa/Euskaltel) +26"
3. Francisco Mancebo (Spa/AG2R) +27"
4. Pietro Caucchioli (Ita/Credit Agricole) +37"
5. Leonardo Piepoli (Ita/Saunier Duval) +41"
6. George Hincapie (US/Discovery Channel) +48"
7. Christophe Moreau (Fra/AG2R)
8. Levi Leipheimer (US/Gerolsteiner)
9. Denis Menchov (Rus/Rabobank)
10. Bernhard Kohl (Aut/T-Mobile) +51"

Selected other
85. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Cofidis) +14:42"

General classification:
1. Levi Leipheimer (US/Gerolsteiner) 19:55:30"
2. Denis Menchov (Rus/Rabobank) +28"
3. Christophe Moreau (Fra/AG2R) +1:48"
4. Francisco Mancebo (Spa/AG2R) +1:49"
5. Jose Azevedo (Por/Discovery Channel) +2:00"
6. Bernhard Kohl (Aut/T-Mobile) +2:28"
7. George Hincapie (US/Discovery Channel) +3:02"
8. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra/Cofidis) +3:45"
9. Pietro Caucchioli (Ita/Credit Agricole) +3:56"
10. Sergio Paulinho (Por/Wuerth) +4:08"

Selected other
62. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Cofidis) +25:39"