Landis keeps yellow jersey

~ Ukranian captures 12th stage of race.

CARCASSONNE, France -- American Floyd Landis retained the yellow jersey as the Tour de France's overall leader Friday, finishing well behind stage 12 winner Yaroslav Popovych.

Landis' lead over second-place Cyril Dessel remained at 8 seconds. Russian Denis Menchov is third overall, 61 seconds off the lead.

Popovych's win was a solo effort, and it came on a day when two of his Discovery Channel teammates -- Paolo Savoldelli and Benjamin Noval -- dropped out of the race. Following a long breakaway with three other riders, the Ukranian took the stage with a solo effort to the line, finishing far ahead of Landis.

Popovych's win, his first in two Tours, came the day after he and other Discovery Channel riders performed poorly in the hardest stage of the Pyrenees. Discovery has struggled in its first Tour de France without former leader Lance Armstrong.

Popovych finished 27 seconds ahead of second-place Alessandro Ballan and 29 seconds in front of Oscar Freire of Spain.

Popovych covered the 131 mile-stage in 4 hours, 34 minutes and 58 seconds. He rode at an average speed of just over 28 mph, remarkably quick given the hills in the stage, which featured a moderately hard climb early on, and the scorching sun.

Popovych was the second Ukrainian to win a stage this year. Serhiy Honchar won the first long time trial.

"It is good for morale and, I think, also for our country," Popovych said.

Discovery was considered one of the favorites to win the team title when the race started July 1. Following the team's struggles, however, Popovych said Discovery is now focusing on winning stages.