Cyril Dessel, of France, won Tuesday's punishing 16th stage of the Tour de France in a sprint finish.

The AG2r-La Mondiale team rider celebrated his first Tour stage victory by leading a breakaway group of four riders to a downhill finish on the157km trek from Cuneo in Italy to Jausiers in France.

He outsprinted Sandy Casar, Yaroslav Popovych and David Arroyo to win an exciting stage, which saw the riders tackle the 2,802 metre Col de la Bonnette, the highest pass in Europe.

Frank Schleck, of Luxembourg, retained the yellow jersey and maintained his seven-second lead over Austria's Bernhard Kohl, while Cadel Evans, of Australia, remains in third, a second further back.

"It makes me incredibly happy," Dessel said. "The tactic was to try to join a breakaway."

John-Lee Augustyn, of South Africa, was the first to cross the peak of La Bonnette-Restefond, but he dramatically skidded off the road down the rock-strewn mountainside. A spectator had to help him back up to the road and he rejoined the race, despite his bike being left stranded down the steep face.

Wednesday's 17th stage is a 210.5km ride featuring the Galibier and Croix de Fer passes and a finish up L'Alpe d'Huez.