Robbie McEwen has won his second stage victory of the Tour de France in a nail-biting finale to the 160-km ninth stage from St Leonard de Noblat.

The Australian, leader of the points classification and winner of his first stage in Namur a week ago, surged in the last 20 metres to beat Norwegian Thor Hushovd and Australian Stuart O'Grady, both also stage winners on this Tour.

The overall lead was retained by France's Thomas Voeckler with a nine minute, 35 second advantage on five times champion Lance Armstrong, who spent a reasonably quite day on the roads of central France.

"It's a great victory after the crash and injury I suffered three days ago," said McEwen. "In the sprint, I gave all the energy I had left in my body."

McEwen's win was tight and thrilling as the main bunch caught two breakaway riders with about 50 metres left in the shortest ride so far.

Italian Filippo Simeoni and Spaniard Inigo Landaluze attacked in the 38th kilometre and the bunch, gearing up for a gruelling 10th stage to St Flour on Wednesday, did not budge at first.

The two held a maximum lead of 10:05 before the pack started to react, helping Voeckler retain the yellow jersey.

"The rest day on Monday was welcome but if the favourites start the serious fight tomorrow, it will be hard for me to keep the jersey," Voeckler admitted. "It's a long stage, heat is forecast and I must admit I'm a little afraid."

To see Simeoni fail so close to the line must have pleased Armstrong as the Italian Domina Vacanze rider is one of the American's most bitter rivals, not on the bike but off it.

RELAXED ARMSTRONG

Simeoni is suing the American for defamation after Armstrong called him a liar in an interview last year. The Italian was suspended for four months in 2002 after he accused Italian doctor Michele Ferrari, whom Armstrong considers a friend, of giving him doping substances.

The case has not been judged in court yet but the short and bumpy ride in central France allowed Simeoni to make himself noticed as a sportsman.

But Armstrong was in no mood for controversies after a gentle ride to Gueret.

"We just sat on the wheels," said Armstrong. "We didn't take it easy but we didn't have any responsibility so it was fine.

"I was surprised we caught them after they got such a time gap, we were flying at the end."

There was other good news for Armstrong ahead of the tough 237-km stage on Wednesday, the longest of this year's Tour.

Armstrong's leading rival, Jan Ullrich had been spared by crashes and incidents since the Tour start in Liege.

But the German was held up by mechanical problems halfway through Tuesday's stage and had to be brought back into the peloton by his T-Mobile team mates.

Estonia's Jaan Kirsipuu, winner of the first stage in Charleroi, called it quits in the first climb of the day and the stage was also marred by a spectacular crash in the last five kilometres, involving Spaniard Mikel Pradera and Norway's Kurt-Asle Arvesen.

Both crossed the line seven minutes and nine seconds behind the main bunch.