Tyler wins the pain game

Tyler Hamilton produced the biggest successful solo breakaway of this year's Tour de France to secure a remarkable win in the 16th stage.

Hamilton has been racing with a broken collarbone since being caught in a pile-up more than two weeks ago. The victory means he now lies sixth overall, 6min 35sec behind fellow American Lance Armstrong.

"After the fall I thought I could not carry on," he said. "Then I thought I would keep going for the team time-trial. Since then I have felt better and better."

Armstrong keeps the yellow jersey, 1min 7sec ahead of Germany's Jan Ullrich, with today's stage taking them away from the Pyrenees over a flat run to Bordeaux.