Contador moves into Tour lead

Alberto Contador, the Spanish rider who was pre-tournament favourite to win the Tour de France, took his first stage win of this year's event on yesterday's gruelling 207.5km leg between Pontarlier and Verbier.

The Astana rider finished 43 seconds ahead of his closest challenger in the stage, and more than a minute and a half up on his teammate and rival Lance Armstrong. Contador has now taken the overall race lead for the first time, one minute and 37 seconds up on Armstrong.

British cyclist Bradley Wiggins, who prior to the Tour had targetted a top 20 finish, is in third place overall. If he keeps in that position it would be the best finish for a home nations rider since Robert Millar's fourth place 25 years ago.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
Richard Williams, the Guardian: "Although Armstrong is now in second place, he might even have a job maintaining his own nine-second advantage over Bradley Wiggins. The Londoner finished fifth in the stage after a scintillating ride, lifting himself to third in the overall standings and raising the possibility that Britain could have a finisher on the podium in Paris for the first time in the Tour's 106-year history. Wiggins has grown in confidence each day. The 29-year-old triple Olympic gold medallist has enjoyed riding among the leaders and his Garmin-Slipstream team showed their faith in him by riding down the break in the last 20km, offering him the platform from which to launch his final effort."

Chris Barnett, Daily Telegraph: "Wiggins meanwhile - although no great fan of rest days - will surely appreciate his lie-in on Monday ahead of two massive alpine stages that will largely determine his ability stay in the top five. Tuesday's run from Martigny to Bourg Saint-Maurice includes the 2473m Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard - an Hors categorie climb - followed by the category 1 Col du Petit Saint-Bernard. If he can haul himself over that in contention there is a 30km run-in to recoup any major losses but then all roads lead to Wednesday's horrific stage between Bourg Saint-Maurice and Le Grand Bornand which includes four category 1 climbs. Survive that and he might then perhaps inflict some damage himself on Thursday on an individual time-trial course in Annecy that could be made for him."

Jeremy Whittle, the Times: "Only Wiggins and Andy Schleck, of Luxembourg, were able to pull together a group of riders in pursuit. Armstrong, without the spring in his legs and the change of pace that characterised his seven consecutive Tour wins, seemed pedestrian in comparison. In only eight kilometres of climbing, Contador took 43 seconds out of the American, an ominous precedent for the mountain stages still to come, which include Saturday’s penultimate stage to the summit of Mont Ventoux. But the internal wrangling at the Astana team over which of the pair was designated leader was finally and dramatically resolved yesterday." ·