Stage Four was a 153.km race through Champagne Country from Cambrai to Reims, which was last on Le Tour in 2002, and saw five riders break away.
The group included Footon-Servetto's Iban Mayoz who won the first sprint of the day on the Cote de Vayencourt and the riders built up a 2 mins twenty seconds lead on the peleton who had Lance Armstrong's Radio Shack team doing a lot of work.
The lead was down to thirty seconds with 15km to go in an uneventful stage much to the riders relief after the last four days.
With 10km left, HTC Colombia who were looking for a win for Mark Cavendish were at the front of the peleton with Lampre and Astanta who were keeping Alberto Contador out of trouble, some fifteen seconds down on the five breakaway riders.
Mark Cavendish
A series of roundabouts slowed down the peleton who eventually caught the breakway with 3.1km to go just after the fifth roundabout.
Hondo led as they passed the flame rouge. Geraint Thomas, Thor Hushovd and Mark Cavendish led by Mark Renshaw, were all handily placed but it was Lampre's Allesandro Petacchi who was the man with the legs today, who collected his second stage win, ahead of New Zealander Julian Dean in second and Team Sky's Ed Boasson-Hagen third and Robbie McEwen fourth.
Dimi Champion picked up the 2,000 euros award for the most agressive rider of the day.
After the race, Mark Cavendish issued a statement via his team's press office saying: "I'm disappointed about today. I felt really good during the stage. I feel sorry for my teammates who rode unbelievably and I just didn't finish it off at the end. "We're really motivated as a team and I'm going to go out there tomorrow and give it hundred percent again. "Congratulations to Alessandro [Petacchi] for another great stage win."
Fabian Cancellara keeps his yellow jersey with a 23 second lead from Geraint Thomas.
Stage Five is from Epernay to Montargis and is 187.5km long and you can catch the TDF Live on British Eurosport and ITV4.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM