Landis 29th in New Zealand road race

Nov 5, 2009 - 4:39 AM WELLINGTON, New Zealand(AP) -- American cyclist Floyd Landis improved six places to 29th overall, more than 12 minutes behind the leader, after the sixth stage on Thursday of the nine-stage Tour of Southland.

Landis started the day in 36th place and improved his standing when he came in 29th of 102 riders in the mountainous 83.17-mile stage near the tourist resort of Queenstown on the South Island. He was 3 minutes, 47 seconds behind stage winner Jeremy Yates of New Zealand.

Landis was 12 minutes, 45 seconds behind overnight leader Jack Bauer of New Zealand in the six-day tour which ends Saturday. Landis' cyclingnzshop.co.nz-Bio Sport team was 14th among 23 teams after six stages.

Landis won the 2006 Tour de France but was disqualified and banned for two years when doping tests revealed elevated levels of testosterone. He returned to racing in January.

Bauer retained the tour leader's yellow jersey, improving his overall advantage to 25 seconds over compatriot Peter Latham while New Zealander Jeremy Vennell was another 2 seconds back in third.