Overall leader Lance Armstrong is well positioned at the front of the peloton, protected by his US Postal team-mates

Laurent Brochard, Oscar Freire and Alessandro Bertolini lead a 10-man group that breaks away less than an hour into the stage

The peloton passes through picturesque southern France under clear blue skies on another sweltering day

A spectator on a white horse painted with red polka dots imitating the king of the mountains jersey rides alongside Armstrong

Australian Robbie McEwen receives attention to his elbow tumbling into a ditch midway through the stage

The peloton is stretched out along the road as the riders head towards the two first category climbs late in the stage

Spaniard Carlos Sastre, part of the original breakaway group, makes a decisive move and holds on to win the stage

German Jan Ullrich strives for the line and secures second place to reduce Armstrong's overall lead to 15 seconds

Armstrong clings on to the overall lead in the race but know he faces increasing pressure from his challengers

Richard Virenque retains the polka dot jersey after the first stage in the Pyrenees with a substantial 57-point lead