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Spain’s Alberto Contador virtually secured his third yellow jersey victory in the Tour de France on Saturday following the penultimate stage time trial won by Swiss Fabian Cancellara.
Astana leader Contador went into the 52km race against the clock with only an eight-second lead on Andy Schleck and the Luxemburger pushed him all the way before having to settle for second place overall.
Despite the threat of Schleck in the early stages, when he took his deficit down to almost two seconds, the Spaniard kept his composure to finish 31sec ahead of his closest rival.
Contador will now go into Sunday’s 20th and final stage, which is not usually contended by the yellow jersey rivals, with a 39sec lead on Schleck.
It means Schleck is set to finish runner-up for the second consecutive year, although after finishing 4min 11sec behind Contador in 2009, the Saxo Bank climbing specialist has set out his stall for next year’s challenge.
If Contador and Schleck respect the final stage tradition the Spaniard’s winning margin will be among the fourth smallest in the history of the race.
“It was a very hard day,” he said.
“I’ve worked so hard for so many years but today it really came right down to the wire. That’s why I’m so emotional,” said Contador, who won the race in 2007 and 2009.
“In fact, I think it’s the first Tour I’ve won where I’ve been so emotional.
“I want to thank all the people who have been there for me these last years.”
Russian Denis Menchov won the battle for the third and final place on the Paris podium after outclassing Spaniard Samuel Sanchez.
Menchov started the stage with a 21sec deficit to the Euskaltel climbing specialist but the Rabobank rider’s superior time trialling skills paid off handsomely.
Menchov will now start Sunday’s final stage third overall at 2:01 with Sanchez in fourth at 3:40. Completing the top five will be promising young Belgian Jurgen van den Broeck of Pharma Lotto, who is at 6:34 behind Contador.
Schleck’s teammate Cancellara capped his campaign the way he started it, having won the opening prologue in Rotterdam to take the race’s yellow jersey.
Olympic time trial champion Cancellara clocked a winning time of 1hr 00min 56sec for the largely flat 52km course between Bordeaux and Pauillac to push German Tony Martin into second place.
HTC-Columbia rider Martin finished 17secs adrift with compatriot and teammate Bert Grabsch in third at 1min 48sec.
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