PINEROLO, July 20, 2011 (AFP) - Luxembourg's Andy Schleck soaked up a late attack from yellow jersey rival Alberto Contador as the Tour de France moved a step closer to the final two mountain stages Wednesday.
Overnight race leader Thomas Voeckler avoided two crashes in the hectic finale of the 17th stage, won by Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky, but saw his grip on the yellow jersey loosen.
As Boasson Hagen celebrated his second victory of the race on his debut Voeckler finished 27 seconds behind a nine-man group which contained the Schleck brothers Andy and Frank, as well as Contador and Samuel Sanchez.
Contador's attack on the Col de Manse outside Gap on Tuesday effectively salvaged a bid that had looked dead and buried after a series of crashes.
On Wednesday the Spaniard went on the attack again after cresting the 6.6 km Cote de Pramartino, only for the Schleck brothers—who lost time to Contador and Evans on Stage 16—to counter.
The Schlecks caught Contador on the home straight, their nine-man group coming over the finish 4:26 behind Hagen who had soloed across the line alone, having attacked his breakaway group before the summit of the last climb.
Europcar leader Voeckler almost crashed twice on the technical descent and eventually finished behind the favorites to see his lead over Australian Cadel Evans drop to 1:18.
Frank Schleck is still in third place, at 1:22, with brother Andy fourth at 2:36. Sanchez is fifth at 2:59 while Contador is sixth at 3:15.
Stage Results
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) 4h18:00 (average: 41.6 km/h)
2. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) at 0:40.
3. Sandy Casar (FRA/FDJ) 0:50.
4. Julien El Fares (FRA/COF) 0:50.
5. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) 0:50.
6. Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ/AST) 1:10.
7. Maciej Paterski (POL/LIQ) 1:10.
8. Dmitry Muravyev (KAZ/RSH) 1:10.
9. Jonathan Hivert (FRA/SAU) 1:15.
10. Borut Bozic (SLO/VAC) 2:20.
11. Audrey Amador (CRC/MOV) 2:20.
12. Ruben Perez Moreno (ESP/EUS) 2:37.
13. Bjorn Leukemans (BEL/VAC) 3:35.
14. Nicolas Roche (EIR/ALM) 4:00.
15. Maartens Tjallingii (NED/RAB) 4:00.
16. Kevin De Weert (BEL/QST) 4:00.
17. Frank Schleck (LUX/LEO) 4:26.
18. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 4:26.
19. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 4:26.
20. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 4:26.
21. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 4:26.
22. Alberto Contador (ESP/SAX) 4:26.
23. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 4:26.
24. Andy Schleck (LUX/LEO) 4:26.
25. Jelle Vanendert (BEL/OLO) 4:26.
26. Jerome Coppel (FRA/SAU) 4:34.
27. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) 4:34.
28. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 4:53.
29. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 4:53.
30. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 4:53.
31. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 4:53.
32. Christian Vande Velde (USA/GRM) 5:03.
33. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 5:03.
34. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 5:40.
35. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 5:56.
36. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 5:56.
Source: Bicycling Magazine
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