Ireland’s Dan Martin remains in third place on the Tour de France after finishing 29th on stage 10 from Escaldes-Engordany to Revel.
Australian sprinter Michael Matthews edged out world champion Peter Sagan in the sprint to the line at the end of the 197-kilometre stage after having had two Orica-BikeExchange team-mates in the final group of seven riders out in front, while Edvald Boasson Hagen finished third.
The 25-year-old had time to sit up and celebrate at the line even as Sagan made a desperate bid to snatch the win, and the Tinkoff rider had to settle for an all-too-familiar second place.
It was a first Tour de France stage win for Matthews, who now has victories from all three Grand Tours, becoming only the second Australian to do so behind his team-mate Simon Gerrans.
Chris Froome retained his yellow jersey after finishing nine minutes and 39 seconds behind Matthews in the main peloton, while his British compatriot Adam Yates remains 16 seconds off the defending champion in second place. Martin trails Froome by 19 seconds in the general classification.
For anybody that saw the last 15km. We absolutely did not ride like that all day. #fullgas #stress #survived Thanks to my team
— Dan Martin (@DanMartin86) July 12, 2016
"It's unbelievable, it's just sinking in," Matthews said.
"I was close to giving in at this race after crashes in recent years. I thought maybe this race is not for me but today my dream has come true."
For Tinkoff's Sagan, it was a 17th second place in Tour de France stages, but he could console himself after reclaiming the green jersey from Mark Cavendish - just as the Manxman had predicted.
Sagan, who has won the green jersey in each of the last four Tours, picked up 45 points from his win in the intermediate sprint and his second place, and now leads Dimension Data's Cavendish by 38.
"It's not even in the finishes," Cavendish said. "Obviously tomorrow in the stage finish (an expected bunch sprint in Montpellier) it's likely I'll get a load of points back, but it's those intermediates where he gets 20 points and we don't.
"But at the end of the day we're not talking about any old bike rider here. We're talking about Peter Sagan. You could have predicted from the beginning it would happen. I'm happy to have had green as long as I have."
The sun was shining as the race left Escaldes-Engordany, immediately onto the ascent of the Port d'Envilar, the highest point of this year's Tour and a rude welcome back for the riders following Monday's rest day.
After several breakaways were shut down on the climb, Lampre-Merida's Rui Costa crested the summit alone before they tackled a long descent made treacherous by thick fog.
That made it difficult for the riders to keep tabs on what their rivals were up to, and Froome admitted he had to pay particularly close attention to Movistar's Nairo Quintana.
The Colombian, who is 23 seconds down in fourth place overall, attacked when wintry weather caused poor conditions on descent of the Stelvio during the 2014 Giro d'Italia - a race he went on to win.
"Descending in that mist and not being able to see much of what was going on, I imagine it felt a little bit like riding in the Giro a few years ago when Nairo slipped off the front," Froome said.
"I was just trying to keep an eye on him."
As they dropped back into France from Andorra a 15-man break assembled, with Sagan, Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali, and stage seven winner Steve Cummings among their number.
With that opening climb out of the way, the rest of the stage was largely flat but light rain fell as the break pulled almost seven minutes clear.
As they neared Revel the break split in two, with Sagan going clear along with Sam Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale), Greg van Avermaet (BMC), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Orica-BikeExchange trio Matthews, Daryl Impey and Luke Durbridge.
Inside the last 15km, the peloton eased up to allow the breakaway their fun and it became a battle between the front seven.
Sagan led them over the short category three climb, the Cote de Saint Ferreol, seven kilometres from the finish before Durbridge, having done his turn for his team-mates, dropped back.
Van Avermaet was the first to light it up on the home straight but as the others responded it was Matthews who found the burst of speed to break clear.
"It was never the plan to go for a breakaway today," Matthews added.
"We wanted a bunch sprint finish but we're such a strong group of guys. Durbridge and Impey gave me everything to win today. I have no words to describe what they did for me."
