MORZINE (France): Richard Virenque, once the black sheep of world cycling, stole the show and the leader's yellow jersey when he won the first mountain stage of the Tour de France yesterday. 

The Frenchman, who finished four minutes and six seconds ahead of the main group containing race favourite Lance Armstrong, was kicked out of the Tour in disgrace in 1998 and in the infamous Festina trial a year later finally confessed to drug-taking.