Andy Schleck took the stage finish atop the Col du Tourmalet but will require a miracle if he is to usurp the yellow jersey of Alberto Contador after today’s epic stage 17 of the Tour de France.

There was plenty of excitement in today’s stage of the Tour de France, a 179 kilometre run from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

Lance Armstrong admitted his return to competitive cycling at the Tour Down Under had so far been “disappointing” but he refused to rule out a late victory surge.