Result  |  Standings

Australian Robbie McEwen sprinted to victory in stage five of the Tour de France in Montargis.

The Davitamon-Lotto rider passed Belgian Tom Boonen in the final few meteres of the flat 183km stage from Chambord Castle to record his sixth stage win in Le Tour.

Juan Antonio Flecha attacked after 20km of the stage and built up a lead of five minutes and 15 seconds after 80km.

The Spaniard was then joined by three counter-attacking riders, Laszlo Bodrogi of Hungary, Italian Salvatore Commesso and Finn Kjell Carlstrom, at 87km.

But Boonen's Quickstep-Innergetic team and McEwen's squad came to the front of the peloton at the exit of the feedzone and the escapees were caught with 11km remaining.

Lance Armstrong retains the overall lead, thanks to his Discovery Channel team's victory in stage four, after the peloton arrived en-masse.

Although the six-time Tour champion decided not to wear the yellow jersey in the neutral zone before the official start of the stage, citing "respect" for former leader David Zabriskie, who tumbled in a dramatic crash in the final moments of the team time-trial.

And the stage saw the first retirement of the 92nd edition of the race when Constantino Zaballa of the Saunier Duval-Prodir team stepped off his bike at the 36km mark.