Sam Bennett (center) sprints to win the 10th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday. Photo: VCG

Irishman Sam Bennett was left in tears after sprinting to a maiden stage win on the Tour de France on Tuesday after an Atlantic coast run between the islands of Oleron and Re.

The Deceuninck team rider's Stage 10 victory, on his Tour debut, ensured he reclaimed the sprint points green jersey, a similar shade to the rugby and football shirts of the Ireland national team.

It also followed a dramatic start to the day as Tour director Christian Prudhomme tested positive for COVID-19 while the entire peloton returned negative tests. 

There was a negative test result, however, for French Prime Minister Jean Castex, whom Prudhomme had sat alongside in his car for Saturday's stage.

Wearing his Irish champion's tunic, Bennett narrowly edged Australia's Caleb Ewan while peloton superstar Peter Sagan came third to cede the green jersey on a sunny day attended by more fans than on any previous day in the region famous for its huge, luscious oysters and other shellfish in the mud flats.

After the finish line on the chic Island of Re, Ewan quickly rode alongside the winner to fist bump in a rare show of empathy between sprinters.

Surrounded by his teammates Bennett watched a replay before clenching his fist and cheering.

"It's almost a relief," said the 29-year-old who had four near misses before finally clinching this win after a frantic 168.5-kilometer-long stage that featured 78 roundabouts.

Bennett now has stage wins on all three Grand Tours, his stage win here following stage victories on the Giro d'Italia (three) and the Vuelta a Espana (two).

He said his next goal would be a Tour de France final-day win on the cobbled Parisian streets of the Champs-Elysees, before concentrating post-Tour on the Milan-San Remo race and the World Cycling Championships.

Jumbo's Slovenian leader Primoz Roglic holds on to the overall lead with Colombia's defending champion Egan Bernal in second place in the general classification, 21 seconds adrift.

Roglic will now go in to a third day in the leader's jersey.

"If I'm honest I'm relieved I wasn't positive and I'm still here, but I never really thought I was positive," said Roglic about Monday's COVID-19 tests that were delivered Tuesday."