GAP, France (Reuters) - The Tour de France truce ended in the hilly 16th stage to Gap on Tuesday when Alberto Contador showed he was far from finished and Cadel Evans emerged as the man to beat in the last week.
World champion Thor Hushovd won a Norwegian battle with Edvald Boasson-Hagen to secure his second individual stage win of the race, while the contenders for overall victory became involved in an unexpected dress rehearsal before three grueling stages in the Alps.
Contador launched hostilities with 15 kilometers to go in the 162.5-kms trek and each of his four attacks on the second category Col de Manse produced a clue to the questions left unanswered after the Pyrenees.
Only Evans was capable of keeping up with the three-times Tour champion and the Australian former mountain biker sped down the windswept Rochette descent toward Gap to finish four minutes and 23 seconds behind Hushovd.
Contador, whose knee injury now seems a distant memory, finished two seconds behind Evans alongside compatriot Samuel Sanchez, who was true to his promise to help the defending champion when possible.
Behind them, panic struck.
Yellow jersey holder Thomas Voeckler was the first to react to Contador's initial strike, but wasted vital strength in the process and lost 20 seconds to Evans.
In the overall standings, the Frenchman now leads the Australian former world champion by 1:45, with Luxembourg's Frank Schleck down to third place, four seconds behind Evans.
Frank's brother Andy, Tour runner-up for the past two years, was the main casualty of the day in the Rochette descent, famous for the crash which ended Spaniard Joseba Beloki's career in 2003.
Always fearful of the rain and uncomfortable going downhill, the younger Schleck lost 1:09 to Evans and 1:06 to Contador, who moved up a place to sixth, 3:42 behind Voeckler.
Among the other leaders to lose ground was Italian Ivan Basso, who trailed Evans by 54 seconds on the line.
"I'm glad. I had the impression the legs were doing better than in previous days and that's why on a day like this I had to try my luck," Contador said.
Voeckler kept his yellow jersey but admitted he had been taken aback by the Spaniard's initiative.
"It's a little bit scary when Contador attacks. With the kick he has in the climbs, I probably should have left the others chase but it's not my style.
"We didn't expect him to attack today, rather in the next few days and I must admit I got stuck, but most of the others struggled too. I should have stayed in Evans's wheel," the Frenchman said.
While Contador's gain was mostly psychological, Evans's profit was also mathematical.
The 2009 world champion still retains a lead of nearly two minutes over the Spaniard ahead of another tough 179-km ride to Pinerolo, including the demanding climb to the Italian ski resort of Sestriere.
"We had studied the course and we knew that this stage could be decisive. The Tour is decided everyday, there are no intermediate stages. We knew that something could happen in the Rochette descent because Cadel is a good downhiller," said the Australian's BMC team director John Lelangue.
Contador's Saxo Bank team manager Bjarne Riis admitted the big battle in the Alps would probably be between his rider and Evans.
"Alberto wanted to try something today. He felt good. When he attacked, I told him, go ahead, they're all exhausted.
"Now Evans is very strong. If he stays with Alberto in the climbs, it's going to be hard," he said.
While the week ahead should showcase the two most impressive riders in the peloton, the day belonged to Hushovd, already winner of the second stage team time trial and the 13th stage in Lourdes.
"It was extraordinary to find myself in the finale with my team mate Ryder Hesjedal, who did a great job and my friend and countryman Boasson-Hagen. It was like the Norwegian championship," he said.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.