Tour de France:The Tour de France's overall favourites fought out a stalemate on the final day in the Pyrenees as Jelle Vanendert claimed victory at Plateau de Beille. The Belgian, who began the day 12 minutes 54 seconds behind race leader Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) triumphed on the 168.5-kilometre route from Saint-Gaudens.
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was second, 21 seconds behind, with Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) leading the group of favourites home in third, 46 seconds adrift.
Andy Schleck finished two seconds ahead of Cadel Evans (BMC Racing), Rigoberto Uran (Team Sky), Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard), Voeckler and Frank Schleck, who were all 48 seconds adrift of Vanendert.
Voeckler retained the yellow jersey for a seventh day. Ireland's Nicholas Roche finished 6:47 behind the winner in 33rd, dropping him fro 11th to 18th overall.
On four previous occasions when a stage has finished at Plateau de Beille, the winner has gone on to stand atop the podium in Paris.
However, with seven days of racing and the Alps to come, it is premature to announce Vanendert as a successor to Marco Pantani (1998), Lance Armstrong (2002 and 2004) and Alberto Contador (2007) — particularly due to his already-hefty deficit.
With six classified climbs, including the 15.8km ascent to the finish, it was always likely to be a day for the general classification contenders, including Contador, racing with a large support who had flooded over the Spanish border. But, as on Thursday’s 12th stage to Luz-Ardiden, defending champion Contador appeared short of his best and remained four minutes behind Voeckler.
Voeckler retained a 1min 49sec lead over Frank Schleck, with Evans 2:06 behind and Andy Schleck 2:15 adrift in fourth.
Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale), who was 11th today, finishing 48secs behind, remained fifth, 3:16 down, with Sanchez sixth at 3:44 and Contador seventh overall.
Tomorrow’s 193km 15th stage from Limoux to Montpellier is likely to end in a sprint finish, where Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) comes into his own, giving the general classification hopefuls time to gather breath before the Alps.
Britain’s David Millar and Team Sky’s Xabier Zandio were in a 20-man breakaway, which began after 1.5km, but in truth the first five climbs of the day were
only the prelude for what was to follow on the final ascent to the finish.
Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskaltel-Euskadi) led the breakaway into the final climb, but the peloton — including all the favourites — were little more than two minutes behind.
Leopard Trek pushed the pace, with Andy Schleck shadowed by Evans and Contador close behind.
The high tempo set by Leopard Trek saw the peloton absorb remnants of the day’s breakaway, while also losing riders off the back.
Out in front Sandy Casar (FDJ) was leading Christophe Riblon (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Zandio, but the key action was behind them.
With under 12km to go, Andy Schleck burst ahead, with Contador, Evans, Voeckler and others on his wheel.
Andy Schleck accelerated again, with Omega Pharma-Lotto’s Vanendert, Evans, Voeckler, Frank Schleck and Contador following.
The six riders slowed, appearing to be toying with one another, allowing a second group — including Uran — to catch them.
They caught Riblon and Zandio and Andy Schleck attacked for a third time.
Voeckler, supported by team-mate Pierre Rolland, went with him, with Evans grinding away to try and track his fellow two-time runner-up down. Again Andy Schleck slowed and the group rejoined, with Frank Schleck going to the front.
Andy Schleck again attacked, with Contador in pursuit and Evans also going, before slowing once more.
Vanendert made the next move and was ignored by the other 11 riders in the group as he quickly bridged the gap to Casar before passing the Frenchman with 6.4km remaining.
Ivan Basso led the group by Casar, with Voeckler on his wheel and Vanendert 27 seconds up the road with 5km left.
Basso and Voeckler stretched the bunch into a long line.
Sanchez broke clear as the gradient of the climb lessened with 4km remaining.
Basso forged forward, followed by Jean-Christophe Peraud (Ag2r La Mondiale), Voeckler, Evans, Contador and Andy Schleck.
Evans then went to the front of a group reduced to seven, which had a deficit of 55 seconds on Vanendert at 1km to go.
As the Belgian celebrated victory and Sanchez finished second, the favourites burst for the line, with Andy Schleck able to steal two seconds from his rivals for overall glory.