Cycling:Irish rider Nicolas Roche moved up to fourth in the overall standings after today's 185.9km third stage of the Tour of Catalunya which was won by Spain's Xavier Tondo.
Roche, who rides for AG2R La Mondiale team, came home in sixth, one minute 20 seconds behind Tondo, who won in a time of four hours, 43 minutes, 23 seconds.
Tondo and compatriot Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) broke away on the last climb of today’s stage and reached the finish line at La Seu D'Urgell together.
Tondo, riding for the Cervelo team, won Catalunya's most mountainous stage ahead of Rodriguez, while Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) counter-attacked in the closing stages to make it a Spanish one-two-three.
Roche’s finish today moved him up to fourth in the overall standings and is one minute and 20 seconds behind Rodriguez.
The Tour of Catalunya finishes in Montmelo this Sunday.
Result and overall standings after the 185.9km third stage of the Tour of Catalunya from La Vall d'en Bas to La Seu d'Urgell.
1. Xavier Tondo (Spain / Cervelo) 4 hrs 43 mins 23 secs
2. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain / Katusha) same time
3. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne) +48 secs
4. Sandy Casar (France / Francaise des Jeux) +1 min 20 secs
5. Michel Kreder (Netherlands / Garmin)
6. Nicolas Roche (Ireland / AG2R)
7. Pieter Weening (Netherlands / Rabobank)
8. Aitor Perez (Spain / Footon)
9. Paolo Tiralongo (Italy / Astana)
10. Rein Taaramaee (Estonia / Cofidis)
11. Igor Anton (Spain / Euskaltel)
12. Daniel Moreno (Spain / Omega Pharma - Lotto)
13. Oscar Pereiro (Spain / Astana)
14. Ryder Hesjedal (Canada / Garmin)
15. Iban Velasco (Spain / Euskaltel)
16. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic / Liquigas)
17. Remy Di Gregorio (France / Francaise des Jeux)
18. Vladimir Karpets (Russia / Katusha)
19. Janez Brajkovic (Slovenia / RadioShack)
20. Josep Jufre (Spain / Astana)
21. Robert Kiserlovski (Croatia / Liquigas)
22. Kristjan Koren (Slovenia / Liquigas)
23. Guillaume Bonnafond (France / AG2R) +2 mins 05 secs
24. Manuele Mori (Italy / Lampre)
25. Manuel Vazquez (Spain / Andalucia)
26. Vladimir Efimkine (Russia / AG2R)
27. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg / Saxo Bank)
28. Levi Leipheimer (U.S. / RadioShack)
29. Laurens ten Dam (Netherlands / Rabobank)
30. Francis De Greef (Belgium / Omega Pharma - Lotto)
Overall standings
1. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain / Katusha) 9 hrs 04 mins 12 secs
2. Xavier Tondo (Spain / Cervelo) +10 secs
3. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne) +48 secs
4. Nicolas Roche (Ireland / AG2R) +1 min 20 secs
5. Kristjan Koren (Slovenia / Liquigas)
6. Ryder Hesjedal (Canada / Garmin)
7. Rein Taaramaee (Estonia / Cofidis)
8. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic / Liquigas) +1 min 22 secs
9. Michel Kreder (Netherlands / Garmin) +1 min 24 secs
10. Janez Brajkovic (Slovenia / RadioShack) +1 min 25 secs
11. Remy Di Gregorio (France/Francaise des Jeux) +1 min 26 secs
12. Josep Jufre (Spain / Astana) +1 min 27 secs
13. Igor Anton (Spain / Euskaltel)
14. Sandy Casar (France / Francaise des Jeux) +1 min 29 secs
15. Vladimir Karpets (Russia / Katusha) +1 min 30 secs
16. Paolo Tiralongo (Italy / Astana)
17. Daniel Moreno (Spain / Omega Pharma - Lotto) +1 min 31 secs
18. Aitor Perez (Spain / Footon) +1 min 33 secs
19. Iban Velasco (Spain / Euskaltel) +1 min 37 secs
20. Pieter Weening (Netherlands / Rabobank) +1 min 38 secs
21. Robert Kiserlovski (Croatia / Liquigas) +1 min 40 secs
22. Oscar Pereiro (Spain / Astana) +1 min 44 secs
23. Levi Leipheimer (U.S. / RadioShack) +2 mins 00 secs
24. Guillaume Bonnafond (France / AG2R) +2 mins 12 secs
25. Jeremy Roy (France / Francaise des Jeux) +2 mins 14 secs
26. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg / Saxo Bank)
27. Manuel Vazquez (Spain / Andalucia)
28. Laurens ten Dam (Netherlands / Rabobank) +2 mins 17 secs
29. Christophe Le Mevel (France / Francaise des Jeux)
30. Paul Voss (Germany / Milram) +2 mins 18 secs
