Contador all but assures Tour victory

MONT VENTOUX, France, July 25 (UPI) -- Alberto Contador all but sealed his second Tour de France title in three years Saturday, retaining the yellow jersey during the mountainous Stage 20.

The Spanish Contador retained a comfortable lead of 4 minutes, 11 seconds over Andy Schleck of Luxembourg after the grueling 104-mile stage that began in Montelimar and ended at the barren summit of Mont Ventoux, race officials said.

Juan Manuel Garate of Spain won the stage with a time of 4 hours 39 minutes 21 seconds, barely edging Tony Martin of Germany. But the main competition during the stage was the jockeying among the runners-up to Contador in the overall standings, as Schleck locked up with Contador's Astana teammate, American Lance Armstrong, in a battle for second place.

Schleck ended the day 1 minute, 13 seconds ahead of Armstrong. Britain's Bradley Wiggins retained fourth-place overall with a 10-place finish in the 20th stage.

Armstrong's showing was impressive because entered the stage barely hanging on to third place with Wiggins close behind, only 15 seconds back.