ALEX Dowsett helped Movistar to third place in the Tour de France stage nine team time trial.

The Maldon-born rider was taking part in the 28km race from Vannes to Plumelec that saw four seconds separating the top three teams at the finish.

Dowsett was a key component to the Movistar squad, but once his turn was done, the group unravelled, however they brought it back together to finish strongly.

World time-trial champions BMC Racing took the win in a time of 32 minutes 15 seconds, beating Team Sky by just one second.

Movistar put in a great ride to be third in 32 minutes 19 seconds.

Team Sky’s Chris Froome still holds on to the Yellow Jersey and the overall lead in the Tour heading in to Monday’s rest day.

The 28-kilometre route was technical, twisting and finished with a 1.7km ascent to the finish, where time gaps were expected to open up.

Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) now trails Froome by 12 seconds, but Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) all conceded further time to the Team Sky man on Sunday.

Contador began the day 36 seconds behind Froome, defending champion Nibali was 1.48 adrift and Quintana was 1.56 behind.

Froome now leads Contador by 1.03, Quintana by 1.59 and Nibali by 2.22.