Evans very close to becoming first Australian to win Tour

The BMC rider, who finished second in the Tour in 2007 and 2008, started the 42.5-km trial around Grenoble with a 57-second deficit to overall leader Andy Schleck of Luxembourg and four seconds behind Frank Schleck.

Schleck moved to the top of the general classification on Friday, but his exertions appeared to take their toll as Evans raced to the summit 24 hours later.

Evans, 34, took second place in the penultimate stage -- seven seconds adrift of Martin, who clocked a best time of 55 minutes 33 seconds.

Evans now leads Andy Schleck by 1:34 going into Sunday's final parade to the Champs Elysees in Paris, with Frank Schleck in third place overall and 2:30 off the pace, according to provisional results.

It will be the first time that two brothers finish together on the Tour de France podium.

Three-times champion Alberto Contador of Spain finished the time trial with the third best time, 1:09 off the pace, and will finish fifth overall.

Evans, who finally started to live up to expectations in 2009 when he won the world championship, got off to a strong start.

At the first intermediate time check after 15 kilometres, the tide had already turned as Evans had shaved 36 seconds off Schleck's advantage.

The Australian, who won the Tirreno-Adriatico race and the Tour de Romandie this year, took the virtual lead after some 20km and there was no looking back.

His face a mask of pain, Andy Schleck was helpless as the gap dramatically widened in the second part of the stage.

Tour de France, Stage 20, Grenoble
1. Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad - 55 minutes 33 seconds
2. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team - at seven seconds
3. Alberto Contador (Esp) Saxo Bank Sungard - at one minute six seconds
4. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM - one minute 29 seconds
5. Richie Porte (Aus) Saxo Bank Sunguard - one minute 30 seconds
6. Jean-Cristophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale - one minute 33 seconds
7. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi - one minute 37 seconds
8. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Leopard-Trek - at one minute 42 seconds
9. Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad - at two minutes three seconds
10. Rein Taaramae (Est) Confidis Le Credit En Ligne - same time

General classification after Stage 20:
1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team - at 83 hours 45 minutes and 20 seconds
2. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek - at one minute 34 seconds
3. Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek - at two minutes 30 seconds
4. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar - at three minutes 20 seconds
5. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo-Bank Sunguard - at three minutes 57 seconds
6. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi - at four minutes 55 seconds
7. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - at six minutes five seconds
8. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas - at seven minutes 23 seconds
9. Tom Danielson(USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo - at eight minutes 15 seconds
10. Jean-Cristophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale - at ten minutes 11 seconds