Contador moves closer to second Tour win

Le Grand-Bornand, France:

Alberto Contador used Wednesday's third and final Alpine stage of the Tour de France to make a further step toward a second victory in the cycling's showcase event, yet it was not enough to bring cheers within the Astana team.

The 26-year-old Spaniard, following an other impressive run through the mountains, handed one more blow to his rivals when he tightened his grip on the yellow jersey by taking second place in the 17th stage behind Frank Schleck of Luxembourg.

Four days before the race ends on the Champs-Elysees, Contador leads his closest challenger, Frank Schleck's younger brother Andy, by 2 minutes, 26 seconds.

Contador's Astana teammate Lance Armstrong, still aiming at a podium finish, dropped to fourth overall at the end of the 169-kilometer (105-mile) stage between Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Le Grand-Bornand. The 37-year-old Texan, who is set to announce his new team for next season on Thursday, could not sustain the pace of the leading group in the grueling ascent to the Col de Romme.

Contador, only one of five men with a victory in the three Grands Tours _ France, Italy, Spain _ made a bold move when he tried to drop the Schlecks in the Col de la Colombiere, the last climb of the day. Contador's attack did not harm the brothers but it proved fatal to his Astana teammate Andreas Kloeden of Germany, who lays 5th overall 4:44 back.

Armstrong was quick to criticize the move on his Twitter feed.

"Getting lots of question why (Alberto Contador) attacked and dropped Kloeden. I still haven't figured it out either. Oh well," Armstrong wrote.

Tensions within the Astana team have been fierce since Armstrong announced his comeback last year and joined the squad managed by Johan Bruyneel, the man behind his seven victories on the Tour. The rivalry between the cancer survivor and cycling's new star Contador _ who has been under contract at Astana since 2008 _ reached a new height during the Tour.

Although Bruyneel said the Spaniard has almost secured this year's Tour victory, the Belgian was also quick to question Contador's move.

"Today I told him several times that it was not necessary to attack to win the Tour," Bruyneel said after the stage. "I said it because we still have some hard days to come. It was his choice, it didn't work."

Astana sports director Alain Gallopin, the man who groomed Contador all season, was even harsher.

"He made a mistake. He made Andreas lose second place," the Frenchman told French radio Europe 1 on Wednesday evening.

While most of the teams would find no problem in having Contador in their ranks, Armstrong's presence at Astana seems to weaken the Spaniard's position.

"We did not tell him to attack, he had won the Tour," said Gallopin. "He is a young rider, he still has to learn."

Armstrong and Bruyneel are expected to launch their new team together next year, Contador has been linked to a move to Spanish outfit Caisse d'Epargne. Both riders are forced to live together for the next four days and are likely to face each other in next year's Tour.

"For now, we want to win the Tour de France, we are on the right path, then we will see," said Bruyneel when asked about the Armstrong vs. Contador rivalry.

As for this year, it seems Contador has won his match against Armstrong and all other Tour contenders.

On the eve of Thursday's 40.5-kilometer (25.2-mile) time trial in Annecy, Contador sits on a comfortable cushion.

Second-placed Andy Schleck is 2 minutes, 26 seconds behind, with his elder brother Frank in third position 3:25 off the pace.

Contador's biggest satisfaction of the day was to see time trial expert Bradley Wiggins of Britain had eventually found his limits in the mountains, dropping from third to sixth overall, 4:53 behind.

"Wiggins is my main rival for the time trial and the gap is now comfortable," the Spaniard said.

Bruyneel was also confident Contador would retain his overall lead.

"Tomorrow, the time trial will be good for Alberto because he is better than the Schlecks. Then, the Ventoux (on Saturday) and this is it. It looks good as far as winning the Tour is concerned. He is in great shape, he has never been in danger," he said.

Armstrong, fourth overall and 3:55 adrift, said a second place finish was still within his reach.

"Yes, it's still my goal, I think it's possible," he said. "I just need to work hard on the time-trial tomorrow... We still have two big days."

After Thursday's mainly flat time trial, Tour hopefuls will tackle the daunting and feared Mont Ventoux _ a 21.1-km ascent at an average gradient of 7.6 percent _ on Saturday's penultimate stage.

Armstrong never won at the top of the Ventoux, a huge moonscape of rock in Provence with no vegetation, and previously said it was one of his biggest regrets.