Cycling: Team backs Roulston

Outstanding teamwork by his Olympic teammates will see New Zealand cyclist Hayden Roulston take a 32s lead into the final day of the Tour des Deux-Sevres in France.

Roulston, competing with his BikeNZ Olympic endurance track squad, had to call on Marc Ryan and Sam Bewley to ensure he retained the leader's yellow jersey in the four-day race.

Yesterday's 159km road stage was extremely active with a number of breaks until a group of five riders went clear, three of them within reach of Roulston's overall lead.

They pushed the gap out to two minutes which meant that Roulston lost his tour lead.

Ryan and Bewley answered the call, pushing their way to the front of the peloton and driving the chase before finally receiving support from two other teams.

- AGENCIES