Ukrainian cyclist Yaroslav Popovych has won the 12th stage of the Tour de France, but American Floyd Landis retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.
Popovych and three others maintained a long breakaway from the main pack before the Ukrainian pedaled away to the victory. He finished the 211-kilometer stage (between Luchon and Carcassonne) in four hours, 34 minutes, 58 seconds. Italian Alessandro Ballan was second, 27 seconds back, Spain's Oscar Freire was 29 seconds back and Frenchman Christophe Le Mevel was 35 seconds off the pace.
The main pack of riders, which included the overall leaders, finished a distant four minutes, 25 seconds behind Popovych.
Landis kept his eight-second overall lead ahead of Cyril Dessel of France. The American rode a special yellow bicycle Friday. Denis Menchov of Russia is third overall, one minute, one second behind Landis.
Saturday's 13th stage covers 230 kilometers from Béziers to Montélimar. The tour ends in Paris July 23.
