Schleck takes Tour lead, Rolland wins stage

 

Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck took the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey after a 19th stage won by Frenchman Pierre Rolland on Friday.

Overall, Schleck now leads his brother Frank by 53 seconds and Australian Cadel Evans by 57 seconds ahead of the decisive solitary effort of Saturday’s penultimate stage, a 42.5km time trial in Grenoble.

While Schleck took the yellow jersey away from France’s Thomas Voeckler, the stage restored Alberto Contador’s pride if not his chances with a splendid performance up to L’Alpe d’Huez.

The three-times Tour champion, who struggled in the rarefied air of the Col du Galibier in the previous stage, attacked all day in the short 109-kms ride from Modane-Valfrejus and was only denied the consolation of a stage victory in the finale.

Rolland came back on the Spaniard’s heels with Samuel Sanchez in the last two km and beat the Olympic champion in the final stretch by 14 seconds, Contador taking third place, 23 seconds adrift.

Evans was fifth, 57 seconds behind Rolland, and just ahead of Andy Schleck.

Voeckler, who struggled all day, crossed the line three minutes and 21 seconds off the pace but had the consolation of seeing his team-mate Rolland give France its first stage victory on this Tour.

 

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