Frenchman Cyril Dessel has the overall leader's yellow jersey for the 206.5km stage from Tarbes to Val d'Aran

An upbeat Dessel shares a joke with Germany's Markus Fothen, the holder of the white jersey for best young rider

The pack rides up the Tourmalet pass in what is regarded as one of the toughest stages of the Tour

Residents turn out to watch the riders pass through the village of Barry in the south-west of France

Fabian Wegmann of Germany leads Spaniards Iker Camano, David de la Fuente and Juan Flecha in a four-man breakaway

Wegmann and De La Fuente leave the other two trailing and lead the way in the arduous journey through the Pyrenees

De La Fuente overtakes Wegmann and claims the King of the Mountains jersey after taking three of the climbs

But it is Denis Menchov of Russia who eventually emerges to win the stage after an exciting finish

Menchov edges out American duo Levi Leipheimer and Floyd Landis in a thrilling sprint to the line

Landis' third-placed finish is enough to take the yellow jersey from Dessel, who is over four minutes back