Spaniard Juan Miguel Mercado won the 10th stage of the Tour de France, a 190.5k ride from Cambo-les-Bains to Pau through the Pyrenees.
The Agritubel team rider outsprinted Frenchman Cyril Dessel on the first mountain stage of this year's race after a long breakaway, although Dessel is set to take the yellow jersey.
Spain's Inigo Landaluze of the Euskaltel-Euskadi team came home third, 55 seconds behind.
Overall leader Serhiy Honchar of T-Mobile was in the peloton some nine minutes behind when Mercado crossed the line.
Dessel, of AG2R-Prevoyance, started the day in 28th place overall, 3:50 adrift of Ukrainian Honchar.
Thursday's 11th stage will take the peloton from Tarbes over 206.5 kms with five climbs including the last ascent to the finish at the summit of the Plat-de-Beret.
Leading Positions from Stage 10: Cambo-Les-Bains - Pau
1 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Agritubel 4hrs 49mins 10secs,
2 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance at 4hrs 49mins 10secs,
3 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel at 00.56,
4 Christian Moreni (Ita) Cofidis at 2:24,
5 Christophe Rinero (Fra) Saunier Duval at 2:25,
6 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel at 5:03,
7 Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Quick Step at 5:35
General Classification after stage 10:
1 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 43hrs 07mins 05secs,
2 Juan Miguel Mercado Agritubel at 2:34,
3 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) T-Mobile at 3:45,
4 Christian Moreni (Italy) Cofidis at 3:51,
5 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak at 4:45,
6 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile at 4:53,
7 Inigo Landeluze (Spa) Euskadi-Euskaltel at 5:22
