Defending champion Alberto Contador cut into Andy Schleck's overall Tour de France lead yesterday, as Spain's Joaquin Rodriguez celebrated his maiden race victory in the 12th stage
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Rodriguez held off the challenge of his compatriot Contador, who launched a late charge on the gruelling 3km climb towards Mende that caught his rivals cold and allowed him to cut Schleck's advantage to 31sec.
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, 10sec behind Contador. Third place went to Contador's Astana team-mate Alexandre Vinokourouv, a survivor of a breakaway that started after 60km of this rolling 210.5km stage from Bourg-de-Peage.
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