Bbox Bouygues Telecom rider Thomas Voeckler of France holds up his arms as he wins the fifth stage of the 96th Tour de France cycling race between Le Cap d'Agde and Perpignan, July 8, 2009. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo]

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler took the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling event on Wednesday.

Voeckler, 30, clocked 4 hours, 29 minutes, 35 seconds, seven seconds faster than the Peloton to win the 196.5-kilometer ride along the windy Mediterranean Sea from Le Cap d'Agde to Perpignan.

Bbox Bouygues Telecom rider Thomas Voeckler of France holds up his arms as he wins the fifth stage of the 96th Tour de France cycling race between Le Cap d'Agde and Perpignan, July 8, 2009. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo]

Voeckler wore the coveted leader's jersey for nine days in 2004. He is 138th overall, 6:48 behind overall leader Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland.

Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong was a fraction of a second behind Cancellara after the fifth stage.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2009)