Contador secures third Tour de France Triumph | Thebigtip

From AAP from foxsports.com.au

Spain's Alberto Contador secured a third Tour de France yellow jersey after the 20th and final stage to the Champs Elysees won by Briton Mark Cavendish.

Cavendish powered to the finish line alone for the second conescutive year to claim his fifth stage success of this year's race and 15th of his career.

Italian Alessandro Petacchi, the winner of two stages, finished second on the stage to secure the green jersey for the race's points competition while France's Anthony Charteau won the best climber's polka dot jersey.

Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong, who finished almost 40minutes adrift, managed to step up to the podium on what was his final appearance after his RadioShack team won the teams' classification.

Contador, the winner in 2007 and 2009, pulled on his third yellow jersey after leaving Luxemburger Andy Schleck in second at 39sec and as runner-up for the second year in a row.

"I had some tough moments on this year's race, as much from a mental as physical point of view," said Contador, who has now won five Grand Tours after his Tour of Spain and Tour of Italy wins in 2008.

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