SAINT-JEAN-DE-MAURIENNE, France — Tour de France leader Andy Schleck is working to turn up the pressure on Alberto Contador as he and the defending champion lock into a two-way battle for supremacy.
With seven-time champion Lance Armstrong and two-time runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia out of contention, Schleck leads Spaniard Contador by just 41 seconds after Tuesday’s ninth stage and the Luxembourg rider is trying to unsettle his Spanish rival.
“I think we’re pretty equal,” Schleck said. “If he wants to win this, he’s got to attack me.”
Sandy Casar won the stage in a thrilling sprint finish, with Schleck and Contador closing in fast as the Frenchman crossed the line narrowly ahead of Luis-Leon Sanchez of Spain and Damiano Cunego of Italy.
The front three clocked five hours 38 minutes 10 seconds, two seconds faster than Schleck and Contador.
Victoria’s Ryder Hesjedal finished 23rd, almost five minutes behind Cesar, to fall out of the overall top 10. He’s 12th, 5:42 off the pace. Toronto’s Michael Barry finished 65th and sits 93rd overall.
Spain’s Carlos Sastre was the top rider for the Canadian-owned Cervelo team at 15th overall. He was 27th in Tuesday’s stage.
Casar’s win was spectacular, but the real drama unfolded elsewhere during the 204.5-kilometre trek from Morzine to Saint-Jean-La-Maurienne high in the French Alps.
After a stalemate up the opening two category 1 climbs — Col de la Colombiere and Col des Saisies — Schleck tried to break Contador on the mammoth finale up the Col de la Madeleine, so tough it is without classification.
Schleck surged ahead no fewer than three times, but each time Contador controlled the attacks.
“The others can also attack, but they don’t,” Schleck said. “Right now it looks like it’s Alberto vs. me.”
Contador was only moderately impressed.
“I should not be distracted, but like I said yesterday, the most dangerous (rival) is Andy Schleck,” he said.
Schleck claimed after Sunday’s eighth stage — the one which effectively destroyed both Evans and Armstrong’s Tour chances — that Contador was showing signs of weakness.
The 25-year-old Schleck still hopes to “find a weak day when he is not super, and I can gain more time on him.”
Contador dominated the Tour climbs last year, but Schleck is stronger now, and — like Armstrong used to do to German rider Jan Ullrich in his prime — in trying to apply pressure with double-edged compliments.
“It’s possible (Contador) might be better in the Pyrenees. Me too, you know,” Schleck said, pausing before adding. “I think I will be better in the Pyrenees than him.”
Tuesday’s stage knocked the overnight leader Evans out of the equation, and he is unlikely to get a podium place.