Lotto-Belisol rider Gallopin had donned the yellow jersey on Monday's stage from  Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles  but struggled badly on a day that saw two-time winner Alberto Contador of Spain retire with a broken leg following a heavy crash.

But Gallopin showed that he made the most of yesterday's rest day as he launched an attack around 14 kilometres from home only to be caught with four kilometres remaining by a group of three riders, including Slovakia's Peter Sagan, Pole Michal Kwiatkowski and Australian Michael Rogers.

With the peloton closing in as the finish of the 187.5km stage loomed, Gallopin summoned more reserves to launch a final attack with around two kilometres to go.

The three riders behind him were swallowed up by the oncoming peloton but the 26-year-old pinned his ears back and sprinted for the line to finish in front by a handful of metres.

Giant Shimano's German John Degenkolb and Italian Matteo Trentin riding for Omega Pharma - Quick-Step finished in second and third places respectively. 

Tony Gallopin looks back at the chasing pack as he crosses the line in Oyonnax ©Getty Images



"It's unbelievable," said Gallopin, who moves up to fifth in general classification after claiming the first Tour de France stage win of his career.

"Two days ago I was in yellow - it was one of the best days of my life.

"Then, after the rest day, I said it's a new start and the legs were super, so I said, 'Okay, I'll try'.

"I had three guys with me and I thought I can't beat these guys in a sprint.

"But then there was no organisation in the group, so I thought, 'I try again'.

"At 100m it was OK, and then at 50 metres it was done.

"It was incredible to win."

Italian Nibali remains the overall race leader, 2min  23sec ahead of Team Sky's Australian Richie Porte and Movistar rider Alejandro Valverde of Spain in third.

"It was another difficult day," said Nibali afterwards.

"There was a lot of tension out there, especially in that final part, which was tricky.

"There were a lot of attacks but I managed to do my job and stay at the front."

Vincenzo Nibali is all smiles as he retained the leader's yellow jersey in this year's Tour de France ©Getty Images



In a Tour that has already seen the early retirements of past champions Contador and Britain's Chris Froome, American Andrew Talansky, considered an outside bet to win this year's event, came close to pulling out after he stopped for four minutes to receive treatment on a back problem.

The Garmin-Sharp team leader, who has seen his hopes of winning effectively ended by two heavy crashes in the past week, broke down in tears with 60km to go on today's stage but after receiving treatment and words of encouragement from team manager Robbie Hunter he soldiered on to eventually finish 32 minutes down on the stage winner.

Tomorrow's 185.5km stage 12 is due to go from  Bourg-en-Bresse to Saint-Étienne.

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