Riblon, who had been part of a nine-man break that went early in the 184.5-km ride, crossed the line on his own in the ski resort of Ax 3-Domaines.

Russian Denis Menchov and Spain's Samuel Sanchez, the main favorites for a spot on the final podium along with current race leader Andy Schleck and defending champion Alberto Contador, finished second and third in the stage.

Schleck maintained his 31-second lead over Contador in the standings as the pair played hide and seek like sprinters on a cycling track in the final descent.

The result was that Menchov and Sanchez were left free to go in the final kilometers and take a handful of seconds off the leading pair.

Overall, Sanchez is now 2:31 behind Luxembourg's Schleck and Menchov is 2:44 adrift.

The 15th stage takes the peloton from Pamiers to Bagneres de Luchon on Monday and looks the most lenient of the four Pyrenees stages on this Tour.