Roche slips a place but still in the hunt

NICOLAS ROCHE finished safely in the main bunch of yesterday’s 156-kilometre 13th stage of the Tour de France from Pau to Lourdes but he slipped back one place to 11th on the overall general classification after Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert crossed the line in ninth place to usurp him of a top 10 placing.

The Ag2R La Mondiale rider rolled home in 44th place in the same time as his main rivals to ensure the overnight deficit of three minutes and 45 seconds to the yellow jersey of Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar) remained intact.

With the overall favourites opting to conserve energy for today’s third day in the Pyrenees, a successful breakaway was always likely.