PAUILLAC, France — Alberto Contador is set to win his third Tour de France title in four years after retaining the yellow jersey in the next-to-last stage.
Fabian Cancellara won Saturday’s time trial, but the 27-year-old Contador held on to his razor-thin lead over Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, who had started the 19th stage in second place, eight seconds back.
Riders set off one by one down a starter’s ramp for the 32.3-mile race against the clock that set the final positions on the podium.
Schleck is set to finish second to Contador for the second straight year.
Denis Menchov of Russia, the winner of the 2009 Giro d’Italia, mounted an impressive time trial and overcame Samuel Sanchez of Spain to secure third place.