Dan Martin remained in 10th overall in the Tour de France today despite not riding as well as he had hoped in the 32 kilometre Embrun to Chorges time trial.

The Garmin-Sharp rider went flat out in the tough, technical race against the clock, but said afterwards he felt he was only riding to his full capacity towards the end of the test.

He said it was possible that his warm-up was insufficiently tough to get his system going, with things being complicated by the fatigue after two-and-a-half weeks of the Tour.

He finished 32nd in the time trial, three minutes and 22 seconds behind the winner Chris Froome (Sky). Martin would likely have dropped a place to 11th overall but the rider who was ahead of him, Jean Christophe Peraud (Ag2r La Mondiale) crashed during his time trial and had to withdraw from the race.

Martin is 12 minutes and 50 seconds behind Froome heading into the final three mountain stages, and his hoping to ride strongly tomorrow on the legendary Alpe d’Huez climb.

Fellow Irishman Nicolas Roche held back in today's test in order to be as fresh as possible for the remaining stages. He has spent his Tour working for Alberto Contador, who is still hoping to overcome his four minute 34 second deficit to Froome.

Roche rolled in 150th and is now 34th overall.