Contador too strong for rivals

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Juan Manuel Garate left fellow escapee Tony Martin for dead in the final 100 metres of the mountain-top finish to secure victory in the 20th stage, but the real winner was his fellow Spaniard Contador.

The Astana star stuck doggedly to the wheel of Schleck up the stage-ending 1,700m climb to preserve his lead of four minutes and 11 seconds over the Luxembourg rider. "Andy attacked me several times but I was able to control him and resist him," the 26-year-old told French television station France 2.

With Sunday's final stage little more than a ceremonial trek into Paris, Contador looks to have repeated his title-winning exploits of 2007.

He added: "It was very difficult for me. I suffered. But each minute that passed, I was closer to victory."

Behind the top two in the GC, Lance Armstrong came home fifth to keep his third spot on the podium, 1min 13secs behind Schleck, while Bradley Wiggins stays fourth overall despite finishing 10th today.

It means Wiggins should equal the best finish by a British rider in the Tour following Robert Millar's fourth place in 1984.

Frank Schleck could not find the energy to pull back 38 seconds on Armstrong, which would have lifted him from sixth to third, but still leapfrogs Andreas Kloden into fifth.

Contador confirmed once again there is no better climber in the field and, having also won the individual time trial on Thursday, he fully deserves his second title in three years.

"He has been the strongest in the Tour," added Andy Schleck, the Saxo Bank rider who is set to post his best Tour finish, on France 2.