This was a 189km stage from Station des Rousses to Mourzine-Avoriaz which last had a finish in 2003.
Seven riders (Mario Aerts, Koos Moernhout, Benoit Vagrenard, Chris Riblon, Imanol Erviti Sebastien Minard , Amael Moinard), broke clear on a day when there were a number of crashes.
Italy's Fabio Feline took a bad crash within the first 10km in a fall that also saw Jerome Pineau, Lance Armstrong and Cadel Evans amongst those making contact with the road.
Omega Pharma-Lotto's Mario Aerts took the first of five climbs of the day which included the Col De Ramaz and the mountain top finish.
As the race skirted round the bottom of Switzerland, past Geneva, Lance Armstrong (pictured below) was involved in a crash with some 51kms to go.
The peleton which had Sky's Juan Antonion Fletcha working hard for Brits Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas (pictured below), chased down the gap and had the breakway down to 3.16 with less than 40km to go.
38 year old Lance Armstrong was now struggling to keep pace with the main chasing group on the Category 1 Col De Ramaz and was forty seconds back on the peleton which had Bradley Wiggins and Alberto Contador (pictured below) right at the front.
Aerts was the first man over the Col de la Ramaz and took the 15 points for the King Of The Mountains jersey which was held by Pineau who was 2.13 back with just under 26km to go.
With 18.4km to go, Lance Armstrong was involved in a crash for the third time in the stage. He didn't fall but with his team not chasing back, it was looking likely that his tour may well be over.
World Champion Cadel Evans was not having the misfortune that the seven times TDF winner was having and with Yellow Jersey Chavanel, some five plus minutes back, Evans was likely to finish the day in yellow.
Mario Aerts along with Rabobank's Koos Moernhout and Confidis' Amael Moinard were ahead as the riders went into the final sprint at Mourzine.
Mornehout dropped back as they battled away,determind to reach Morzine-Avoriaz which is a ski resort and half way between Lac Leman and Mont Blanc.
With just over 6km to go, there was a shake of hands between the leading two and Moinard broke away. He was caught by a group that included Alberta Contador, Bradley Wiggins, Nicholas Roche, young rider leader Andy Schlek, Levi Leipheimmer and Cadel Evans.
Wiggins lost the group with 3km to go as Lance Armstrong had dropped to 7 mins 20 seconds back.
Eustkatel'S Samuel Sanchez and Andy Schleck broke clear and it was the Luxembourg rider who won the stage with Contador and Evans ten seconds back.
Bradley Wiggins finished one minute and 45 seconds down. Lance Armstrong finished 11.40 down.
Cadel Evans (pictured below) has the Yellow Jersey ahead of Andy Schleck by twenty seconds with Alberto Contador in third.
Tomorrow is the stage's first rest day and Tuesday's stage which is live on British Eurosport and ITV4 is from Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint Jean De Maurienne. The stage passes through Albertville which has been an Winter Olympics venue and is 204km long.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credits CNS/KM and CNS/Jeff Matthews.