Alberto Contador wears the yellow jersey for Friday's 211km stage which includes four category 4 climbs and two sprints

Colombian rider Mauricio Soler will hope to extend his already healthy lead in the race to be named King of the Mountains

Despite the doping problems surrounding the race, cycling fans still turn out in large numbers to cheer their heroes

The early leaders pass through some beautiful countryside on their way from Cahors to Angouleme

However, not all the roadside scenery that the peloton travels past is quite as traditional

Having won the first climb, Frederick Willems collides with a stray dog and loses his place among the frontrunners

Laurent Lefevre, Sandy Casar, Axel Merckx and Michael Boogerd breakaway at 36km and gradually extend their lead

With the race into its latter stages, Boogerd gets a puncture but the other three sportingly wait for him to catch up

Casar breaks with 2.5km to go and manages to hold off his opponents to win the stage in 5hrs 13min 31secs

Contador retains the yellow jersey but sees Cadel Evans reduce his lead to one minute 50 seconds