Four-time winner Lance Armstrong received a huge boost to his chances of securing a fifth successive Tour de France title as closest rival Joseba Beloki was taken away in an ambulance after crashing on the descent from the final climb.

Armstrong, who was just behind, managed to avoid the fallen ONCE rider, who was conscious but screaming on the ground after coming off his bike following an emergency braking action.

Beloki had been just 40 seconds adrift of Armstrong in the overall standings.

Armstrong, wearing the yellow jersey continued riding through a field, the 31-year-old American taking a short cut and jumping back on to the road carrying his bike to rejoin the race for the final couple of kilometres.

"His tyre exploded in front of me," Armstrong told French television.

"I just saw the pictures. Beloki was just in front of me and I think he fell because of the asphalt," added Armstrong, who finished in fourth behind stage winner Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan.

Second in the 184.5-km ninth stage was Paolo Bettini of Italy and Spaniard Iban Mayo was third.

"The asphalt was very hot today and wasn't very safe for riding," Armstrong said.

"I decided to do a bit of cyclo cross!", he explained about his descent over the grass.

"I was really scared. It was the reflexes of a survivor".

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