SAINT-JEAN-DE-MAURIENNE, France — Not yet halfway through, and the Tour de France is already looking like a two-man contest:
Andy Schleck of Luxembourg vs. Alberto Contador of Spain.
Schleck took the yellow jersey from a banged-up and bawling Cadel Evans in Tuesday’s last ride on the high Alps in Stage 9, finishing 2 seconds behind French winner Sandy Casar and beside defending champion Contador.
The race has another 11 stages to go, and it’s possible that one of several prerace title hopefuls could rebound. But it would take guts, savvy and skill in the face of the mountain prowess of Schleck and Contador.
Seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong said he’s out of contention.
This Tour favors strong climbers, with four punishing stages in the Pyrenees ahead. A final time trial on the eve of the July 25 finish in Paris could play a role.
Schleck, the 25-year-old Saxo Bank team leader, has shown he’s the unquestioned mountain master so far. He won Sunday’s entry into the Alps in Stage 8, and lost only 2 seconds to the winner Tuesday.
Only Contador has shown any sign of being able to keep up.
“I think he and I are a little above the others,” Schleck said of their duel Tuesday when he repeatedly tried to shake the Spaniard, to no avail. “I didn’t put time on Contador, but he couldn’t drop me either.”
Casar led a sprint among seven breakaway riders, including Contador and Schleck, at the end of the 204.5-kilometer (127-mile) alpine ride from Morzine to Saint-Jean-La-Maurienne, containing three tough climbs.
Evans, the world champion and a two-time Tour runner-up, crashed and broke his elbow on the fabled Madeleine pass — the day’s last big climb — and lost more than 8 minutes on Schleck and Contador.
Overall, Schleck leads Spanish rival Contador by 41 seconds, while Spain’s Samuel Sanchez, who finished eighth, 52 seconds back, jumped to third and trails the leader by 2:45.
A year ago, when the pack had gotten over the first mountains, 14 riders were within 2:45 of leader Rinaldo Nocentini.
At the same point in 2008, nine were within 2:32 of Evans’ lead.
Many prognosticators expected Contador and Schleck to duke it out in the mountains. The Spaniard is better in the time trials, and Schleck wants as big a lead as possible going into the July 24 race against the clock.
At a glance
Stage 9: The 127-mile alpine trek featured two big climbs, up Col de la Colombiere and Col des Saisies, and then the mammoth finale up the Col de la Madeleine.
Winner: Sandy Casar of France won in 5 hours, 38 minutes, 10 seconds.
Yellow jersey: Andy Schleck of Luxembourg took the yellow jersey from Australia’s Cadel Evans.
How Garmin-Transitions did: Ryder Hesjedal fell to 12th overall from sixth with a 23th-place finish Tuesday. He is now 5 minutes, 42 seconds off the leader. The team is 17th overall.
Armstrong watch: Lance Armstrong improved to 31st overall, but he fell to 15:54 behind.
Next stage: Today the riders take on a 111.1-mile alpine trek from Chambery to Gap, featuring a high-level climb.
The Associated Press
