Alberto Contador stamped himself as a future legend of the sport with his win in the stage 18 Time Trial. He is already a superstar, we knew he was the best climber in the peleton, but the recently crowned Spanish time trial champion has now proved himself as an elite rider in time trials as well. How are they going to beat him over the next few years? He averaged over 50km/h in beating World TT champ Fabian Cancellara, they were the only two to average over 50.
He extended his lead to over four minutes which, with his climbing ability, is basically unassailable. Andy Schleck lost 1.41, Frank lost 2.34, Lance lost 1.29, Wiggins lost 0.42, Kloden 0.53 and Nibali 2.05.
The race looks over but we have Ventoux to come. The Schleck boys will throw absolutely everything at Contador on the famous climb of the bald mountain, they may well beat him but they won't be getting 4 minutes off him.
Results
1 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:48:31
2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:03
3 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha 0:00:15
4 Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:32
5 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 0:00:40
6 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 0:00:42
7 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:00:43
8 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel 0:00:45
9 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0:00:53
10 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 0:01:01
General classification after stage 18
1 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 73:15:39
2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:04:11
3 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 0:05:25
4 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 0:05:36
5 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0:05:38
6 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:05:59
7 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 0:07:15
8 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 0:10:08
9 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:12:38
10 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux 0:12:41
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