Cycling: Mixed Tour for NZ riders

Julian Dean performed his support role to near perfection while Hayden Roulston emerged unscathed from a tumble as New Zealand's Tour de France contingent experienced contrasting fortunes yesterday.

Dean's donkey-work to position Garmin-Slipstream teammate Tyler Farrar did not quite pay off at the end of the 187km stage from Monaco to Brignoles as the American had to settle for second place behind Briton Mark Cavendish.

"Julian Dean drove me into the finish, and once again did a perfect lead-out to put me in perfect position. But then Cavendish was just so fast again," Farrar lamented.

Roulston (Cervelo TestTeam) was unseated by a prang earlier in the first serious day of racing but recovered to cross in 52nd place to be 111th overall and 1min 57sec down on tour leader Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland.

Dean starts the 196.5km third stage from Marseille to La Grand-Motte in 131st place.

- NZPA