Schleck recovers to retain yellow jersey

Defending champion Alberto Contador cut into Andy Schleck's overall Tour de France lead on Friday, as Spain's Joaquin Rodriguez celebrated his maiden race victory in the 12th stage.

Rodriguez held off the challenge of his compatriot Contador, who launched a late charge on the gruelling three-kilometre climb towards Mende that caught his rivals cold and allowed him to cut Schleck's advantage to 31 seconds.

It was 31-year-old's Rodriguez first stage win in the race, in which the Katusha rider is competing for the first time.

Schleck (Saxo Bank) recovered to cross the line in fifth place alongside Belgium's Jurgen van den Broeck, 10 seconds behind Contador.

Third place went to Contador's Astana team-mate Alexandre Vinokourov, a survivor of a breakaway that started after 60km of this rolling 210.5km stage from Bourg-de-Peage.

Vinokourov was not reeled in until the final two kilometres as Contador surged past him in a bid to gain as much time on yellow-jersey holder Schleck as possible.