Lance Armstrong outsprinted Ivan Basso to claim a 13th stage triumph in the Pyrenees and remain on course for a record sixth Tour de France victory.
Armstrong and Basso were shoulder to shoulder as they fought their way through some exuberant fans in the closing few kilometres before the five-time Tour winner denied the Italian a second straight stage win by taking him on the line.
Austrian Georg Totschnig of Gerolsteiner impressed to finish the 205.5km stage from Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille in third place.
Young Frenchman and overall leader Thomas Voeckler, who complained of a stomach ache before the start and lost contact with the bunch in the early stages, rode a brave race to retain the yellow jersey for a ninth day.
It was not such a happy day for Jan Ullrich, though, who saw his dreams of a second Tour victory diminish as he finished in sixth but having lost over another two and a half minutes to Armstrong.
