NICHOLAS ROCHE continues to ride exceptionally well as leader of his Ag2R Mondiale team in the Tour de France, finishing in 20th place yesterday on stage 12, just 31 seconds behind stage winner Joaquin Rodriguez (Team Katusha).

Sergei Ivanov won the ninth stage of the Tour de France from Pontarlier to Aix-le-Bains today, while Credit Agricole’s Stuart O’Grady held on to the yellow jersey.