AUTUN, July 13 - The sprinters will have a last chance to shine on Friday's 199.5-km sixth stage from Semur-en-Auxois to Bourg-en-Bresse before the Tour de France enters the Alps.

Among those bidding for victory, Belgian Tom Boonen will be the most motivated, having lost the green jersey to Erik Zabel after struggling to cope with the irregular course in Thursday's stage.

Former world champion Boonen is also without a stage win on the world's greatest cycling race since he raised his arms in triumph in Tours two years ago.

German Zabel leads the sprinters' standings with 102 points to Boonen's 98.

"Given the profile, the stage does not look likely to favour breakaways and with the teams targeting the yellow jersey likely to neutralise each other, this should give the chance to the sprinters to bag some points before the Alps snuff them out for a while," said competition director Jean-Francois Pescheux.