Rabobank rider Juan Manuel Garate said he was in paradise after claiming his team's first stage victory of the 2009 Tour de France.
The Spaniard fought off Team Columbia's German rider Tony Martin on the punishing 1,912m climb to claim the glory on the Tour's penultimate stage.
Andy Schleck of Saxo-Bank was third, Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong (Team Astana) were fourth and fifth respectively.
Garate said: “I am very proud because the team has tried every day to win a stage at this year’s Tour.
"Today was the last chance and I have found what we were looking for.
"It is a very new experience for me. Yesterday evening I was doing an interview with a radio station and explaining that it would be dream to win on the mythical Mont Ventoux… and now it’s happened. This is paradise!"
British rider Bradley Wiggins held off a challenge from Frank Schleck of Saxo-Bank to retain his fourth place overall in the GC. The race comes to a climax on the streets of Paris on Sunday, when Mark Cavendish will be going all-out for a sixth stage victory in this year's race.
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