Tour de France - 18th stage

Awesome Contador on the brink

Article published on the 2009-07-23 Latest update 2009-07-23 18:07 TU

Astana rider and yellow jersey holder Alberto Contador celebrates on the podium after winning the 18th stage of the Tour de France on 23 July, 2009
(Photo: Reuters/Charles Platiau)

Spanish rider Alberto Contador took a major step towards winning the Tour de France for a second time after his victory in the 18th stage time trial on Thursday.

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The 2007 champion posted a time of 48 minutes 30 seconds to beat Olympic Champion and one-time yellow jersey holder Fabian Cancellara by three seconds.

That meant Contador extended his lead over Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck in the race for the overall leader's yellow jersey to four minutes eleven seconds.

Cancellara had set the fastest time on the 40.5 kilometre course early in the day but he had to settle for second place. Russia’s Mikhail Ignatiev was in third, fifteen seconds behind.

Contador’s Astana teammate, seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong, finished in 16th place, one minute and thirty seconds back. Armstrong, who announced on Thursday that he would be riding with American team RadioShack Corporation next season, has moved into third place in the overall standings. But it now looks like it's Contador’s race to lose, as he appears to have fully justified his billing as pre-race favourite.

"For me to win a time trial at the Tour, it's just huge," said Contador, who said he had initially been concentrating on consolidating his position at the top of the general classification (GC)."I went out hard but thinking only to protect my place in the GC. But when I got to the first time check and saw my time it gave me a bit more belief.

“After that I just went as hard as I could to the finish. It was a crucial day for me, and I came through it far better than I expected."

Schleck has vowed to fight hard to the end, suggesting there might be a twist on the gruelling climb to Mont Ventoux during Saturday’s penultimate stage. "The race is still not over," he said. "We'll be doing what we can on the Mont Ventoux."

Stage 18 results:

1. Alberto Contador (ESP/AST) 48min 30secs (average: 50.103 km/h)

2. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/SAX) +3 secs

3. Mikhail Ignatiev (RUS/KAT) +15

4. Gustav Larsson (SWE/SAX) +33

5. David Millar (GBR/GRM) +41

6. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/GRM) +43

7. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/GCE) +44

8. Christophe Moreau (FRA/AGR) +45

9. Andreas Kloden (GER/AST) +54

10. David Zabriskie (USA/GRM) +1 min 02 secs

Selected others: 16. Lance Armstrong (USA/AST) +1:30 21. Andy Schleck (LUX/SAX) +1:45