Exhausted by almost three weeks of racing and facing a demanding time trial over 55.5 km in St Etienne on Saturday, many of the the riders left in the race, including leader Lance Armstrong [Images], will be hoping for a lull.

But Friday's stage, the shortest aside from the time trials, could yet see more attacks and breakaways as it features five climbs, including the steep second-category Col des Pradeaux at halfway mark.

Armstrong will be wearing his 80th yellow jersey to Le Puy, a town only visited twice before by the Tour.

The race last finished in the central French town in 1996, when Switzerland's [Images] Pascal Richard took the stage victory, less than a month before he became Olympic champion in Atlanta.

Armstrong, who was soon to learn that he was suffering from cancer, had already abandoned the Tour by the time it reached Le Puy that year.

The leading riders will hope for an easy time on the slopes of the Massif Central, saving their strength for Saturday's time trial which should decide the final positions in the overall standings.