Alberto Contador retains his eight-second advantage over Andy Schleck after a gladiatorial head-to-head on the final mountain stage of the Tour de France on Thursday.
With Contador regarded as the superior time triallist ahead of the final individual time trial on Saturday, race analysts reckoned Schleck needed to take at least a minute out of his rival on the hors categorie Col du Tourmalet on Stage 17 of one of the most dramatic Tours in years.
The 25-year-old from Luxembourg attacked halfway up the famous climb, his burst of acceleration blowing the peloton apart with only Contador able to keep pace.
Schleck made the pace for the remaining 10km of the climb, responding well to a counter-attack by Contador before crossing the line for the stage victory at the top of the Tourmalet.
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