Stage 19: Schleck takes Tour lead

Schleck took the overall lead from Thomas Voeckler but there was joy for the host nation as Pierre Rolland broke clear to overtake Contador near the finish to give France its first stage win this year.

With today’s 42.5km time trial to come before the ride into Paris, Schleck now leads his brother Frank by 53 seconds with Australian Cadel Evans 57 seconds back.

Contador, who beat Schleck into second place in 2009 and 2010, blew the peloton to pieces with a series of attacks to salvage his damaged pride and was only denied a stage victory when Rolland surged late on.

The Spaniard attacked from the first corner of the Col du Telegraphe, taking Andy Schleck with him, and even though their group was caught some 60 kilometres later on the descent of the Galibier pass, he struck again in the final climb.

His aggressive and stylish display was fatal to Voeckler's slim hopes of retaining the yellow jersey he had worn for the last 10 days, although his own hopes of a fourth victory in five years have disappeared.

Voeckler began the day with a narrow 15-second lead but ended it trailing by two minutes 10 seconds.

With Evans expected to be strong in today's time trial in Grenoble, the Tour is heading for a thrilling finale.

While the overall winner will be decided against the clock, Contador, out of contention after suffering on the Galibier a day earlier, was eager to finish the race on a high note.

The three-times Tour champion has been slightly jaded after winning a gruelling Giro d'Italia in June while the final decision on his positive dope test on the last Tour has also been a background distraction.

However, he showed his rivals that he is still the master when the road goes up.

The Saxo Bank team leader was two kilometres short of achieving his goal and there were signs of frustration when he punched one of the countless spectators dressed in sometimes funny, more often ridiculous, outfits on the roadside.

A few hundred metres later, he was caught by Rolland and his compatriot Samuel Sanchez, who went on to fight it out for the stage laurels with Rolland proving the fresher.

As for Voeckler, he paid the price for trying too hard to chase Contador in the Telegraphe pass.

Tour de France, Stage 18, Pinerolo to Galibier Serre-Chevalier
1. Pierre Roland (Fra) Team Europcar - three hours 13 minutes 25 seconds
2. Samuel Sanchez (Esp) Euskaltel - Euskadi - at 14 seconds
3. Alberto Contador (Esp) Saxo Bank Sungard - at 23 seconds
4. Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad - at 57 seconds
5. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team - same time
6. Thomas de Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM - at same time
7. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD - at same time
8. Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Leopard-Trek - at same time
9. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Leopard-Trek - at same time
10. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo - at one minute 15 seconds

General classification after Stage 18:
1. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek - at 82 hours 48 minutes and 43 seconds
2. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek - at 53 seconds
3. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing - at 57 seconds
4. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar - at two minutes 10 seconds
5. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - at three minutes 31 seconds
6. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo-Bank Sungard - at three minutes 55 seconds
7. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel - at four minutes 22 seconds
8. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas - at four minutes 40 seconds
9. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo - at seven minutes 1 seconds
10. Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar - at eight minutes 57 seconds