After yesterdays rest day and several days of high drama the Tour takes on its toughest day with the Pyreneean climb to the top of the Tourmalet on today’s final mountain stage.  With Contador in yellow and a furious Schleck in second vowing to attack, attack, attack this will be the day that should decide the yellow jersey.

On mondays stage, Schleck attacked on the final climb but dropped his chain as he lead out.  Contador disappeared up the road ignoring a time honoured rule not to attack the yellow jersey.  He claimed he didn’t see it but later apologised.  As we write we are listening to Stephen Roche defend Contador but we are not so sure.  Either way it leaves Contador with an 8 second advantage into todays stage.  Contador is a better timetrialler than Schlek who will need to have a buffer of at least a minute and a half to take the overall.  Schleck has to attack today and attack hard.

We have had stage wins from Cavendish, Rodriguez, Vinokourov, Riblin, Voeckler and Fedrigo in the past few days but  Schleck is not the only man who has to go for it.  Sanchez and Menchov are duking it out for the third step of the podium and several other riders need a good stage to set themselves up for a possible podium if they can blitz the time trial.  Leipheimer in particular should be able to overhaul Gesink at least who is not great against the clock and Radioshack need something from this race.  Off course we could see a rider go for glory today.  Armstrong may have used it all on Wednesday but could still try something as could Sastre or a host of others.  Brad Wiggins will likely hold back for the timetrial where he has a shot at the stage win.

General Classification

1 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 78:29:10
2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:08
3 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:02:00
4 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:02:13
5 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:03:39
6 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0:05:01
7 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:05:25
8 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 0:05:45
9 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 0:07:12
10 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions 0:07:51

Not only is the yellow jersey in play today all the other jerseys bar the young riders white jersey of Andy Schleck.  The points jersey could still go to Cavendish (we think he will), Petacchi or current holder Thor Hushovd.  Today is a day for Hushovd who can ride in the hills unlike the other two and if he works off the front he could get a number of points early on.

Points classification

1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 191 pts
2 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 187
3 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia 162
4 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 149
5 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha 138

The mountains jersey will be decided today as it is the last mountain stage.  Christophe Moreau is hunting the polkadot from Charteau and needs a good performance ahead of the GC contenders.  An early break might be attempted to get points on some of the early climbs before the climax of the Tourmalet

Mountains classification

1 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 143 pts
2 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Caisse d’Epargne 128
3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 99
4 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux 93
5 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step 92
6 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 82
7 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 76
8 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 76

Fireworks will be guaranteed on the Tourmalet today, indeed last night heavy thunder and lightning storms have battered the stage route and it is currently pouring at the finish line with a temperature of only about 6 degrees celsius.  This will make things even more interesting especially if it rains on the two preceding climbs, especially the 1st category Col du Marie-Blanque which has a savage gradient of 11%.  Do not miss today’s stage, if you see one stage this year this is the one to watch.  Eurosport are carrying the whole stage live.