Mark Cavendish could only finish third in today's fifth stage of the Tour de France as a breakaway ensured there'd be no sprint finish.

But he's managed to extend his lead over Thor Hushovd in the battle for the green jersey to 26 points as the Norwegian came tenth.

A group of six riders pulled away from the peloton after just 12km and kept their distance for the vast majority of the stage.

Four were eventually reined-in just before the end but two, Thomas Voeckler and Mikhail Ignatiev, managed to stay ahead with Voeckler making a further break to take the stage by 7.3 seconds, his first win at Le Tour.

The peloton did eventually gain ground and Cav came home at the head of a pack just 0.1 seconds behind the Russian Ignatiev.

Tomorrow's stage six takes place entirely across the border in Spain, starting in the northern Catalan town of Girona and finishing in the region's capital, Barcelona.