For the second day in a row, the 2011 Tour de France produced shocks and shake-ups in the Alps. Pierre Rolland, released by a struggling Thomas Voeckler from his duties as a domestique midway through the day, gave France a long-awaited first stage win in this year's race, but for many, his principal contribution, as he threaded his way up the 21 steps of the devil's staircase, was to snatch victory from the grasp of Alberto Contador.
The Spaniard, who had cracked at the end of Thursday's long and gruelling stage, attacked like a man reborn throughout the day. So effective was his work that he started the ascent of the Alpe-d'Huez's notorious hairpins, on which he swatted away the attentions of outrageous exhibitionists, with a lead of half a minute, only to lose this game of two-wheeled vingt-et-un when he tired and was overhauled on the final ramps by Rolland and Samuel Sanchez.
The winner in 2007, 2009 and 2010, Contador is riding under the shadow of his positive test for clenbuterol, a banned substance, during last year's race. The result of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport into the Spanish cycling authorities' decision to clear him will not be known until next month. Were the positive finding to be upheld, he would be deprived not only of last year's win but of anything achieved during this year's race – and of his victory in the Giro d'Italia in May.
Had his attack been rewarded on Friday, comparisons would inevitably have been made with the notorious success of Floyd Landis in Morzine five years ago, which also came after a disaster in the Alps the previous day. The American went on to win the Tour, but a urine sample taken from him in Morzine was later found to contain an anomalous testosterone reading. The Tour does not need any more such 'miraculous' performances, and Contador's inability to press home his advantage seemed like the frailty of a normal human being.
He had spent most of the day with Andy Schleck riding on his wheel. The Luxembourg rider, the hero of Thursday's decisive lone break, eventually finished in a bunch of six riders that crossed the line 57 seconds behind the first three. The group also included his older brother, Frank Schleck, and Cadel Evans.
Voeckler, who started the stage in the yellow jersey for the 10th day in a row, matching his achievement of 2004, looked on the verge of collapse right from the start of the day's hostilities but fought with astonishing and very visible determination to finish 20th, 3min 22sec behind Rolland. But at last he conceded his lead in the general classification to Andy Schleck, who now lies 53 seconds ahead of his brother and 57 seconds ahead of Evans. Saturday's 42.5km time trial in Grenoble clearly plays to the strength of the Australian, and the outcome appears finely balanced. The battle for the overall victory is now between these three.
Mark Cavendish came in more than 25 minutes behind Rolland, and was relieved to discover that he will be carrying the green jersey into the penultimate day, which means that, barring accidents, he will be wearing it in Paris. For the second day in a row he finished outside the cut-off time, among a large group of riders troubled by the ascents of the first-category Col du Telegraphe and the two hors-categorie climbs, the 2,556m Col du Galibier and the 1,850m Alpe-d'Huez. They were each docked 20 points, but since they also included Jose Joaquin Rojas, lying second in the points classification, there was no change in the two riders' relative positions, and Cavendish is now the firm favourite to become the first British rider to win the maillot vert.
Two other jerseys changed hands. For Sanchez, second place allowed him to relieve Jelle Vanendert of the lead in the king of the mountains standings, which he will retain to the end since there are no more mountain points on offer. Rein Taaramae lost the white jersey for the best young rider to Rolland, who became only the second French rider – after Bernard Hinault, the victor in 1986 – to win a stage finishing on the Alpe, which first became a part of the Tour in 1952.
Rolland's work on Voeckler's behalf for the past week and a half constituted a wonderful example of the selflessness of the perfect domestique. On Friday, however, when Voeckler realised that he would be unable to match the leaders' pace, Rolland was the beneficiary. "We were on the Galibier," he said, "when Thomas told me, 'OK, you go, this is your chance'."
Two years ago, when he was aged 22 and enjoying good results, including 21st place in his first Tour, Rolland was being seen as the future star French cycling so badly needs. Then, as prodigies often do, he appeared to regress. Yesterday, he was given his opportunity, and seized it on the fabled Alpe-d'Huez. "I know the climb by heart," he said. "I rode it 10 times in six days during training. I kept my cool against the Spaniards and when I decided to attack, it was double or quits."
Almost a quarter of an hour later, four of his Europcar team-mates crossed the line together, arms in the air in celebration of their colleague's brilliant success, one of the highlights of a remarkable Tour.
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