stage17

Despite saying he could win the race if he were not on Team Sky, Froome says his job is to keep the boss in yellow

Before he could ride for the win, the Movistar rider had to persuade danger-man Vincenzo Nibali to drop out of a break

Once rival Vincenzo Nibali cracked, said the race leader, "I knew it was pretty much over"

"It's not over yet," said Sky sport director Servais Knaven. "We still have three stages to try to take it to Cobo. It won't be easy, but we're motivated to keep fighting. It's a grand tour. We are going to fight right to the end."

PENA CABARGA, Spain (VN) — Movistar lost three riders Wednesday as a stomach flu wiped out the team; meanwhile injury derailed Purito Rodrîguez in the final week of the Vuelta a España.

PENA CABARGA, Spain (VN) — There was a very tense moment about 500 meters from the finish line in Wednesday's 17th stage when it appeared Juanjo Cobo's dream Vuelta a España was turning into a nightmare.

Stage

• 1. Christopher FROOME, (GBR) Team Sky, in 4:52:38
• 2. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (ESP) Geox-Tmc, at 1
• 3. Bauke MOLLEMA, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 21
• 4. Daniel MARTIN, (IRL) Garmin-Cervelo, at 24

GC

• 1. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (Spain) Geox-Tmc, in 69:31:41
• 2. Christopher FROOME, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 13
• 3. Bradley WIGGINS, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 1:41
• 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:05
• 5. Denis MENCHOV, (Russia) Geox-Tmc, at 3:48

Contador's director says he will keep attacking

Andy Schleck says stage 17 finish descent 'not really necessary'

Andrew Hood and Brian Holcombe take apart stage 17

PINEROLO, Italy (VN) — Jens Voigt strongly defended Leopard-Trek's tactic of riding for both Schleck brothers throughout the Tour de France rather than rally behind one of the brothers as a single leader.

PINEROLO, Italy (VN) — Pedro Delgado says Cadel Evans is in the driver's seat to become the first Australian to win the Tour de France.

PINEROLO, Italy (VN) — Alberto Contador reached across to Samuel Sánchez to shake his hand as the pair crossed the line Thursday after another daring raid that fell short.

PINEROLO, Italy (VN) - Two-time defending champion Alberto Contador has lit a fire at the front of the Tour de France in the final week ahead of the three biggest days in this year’s race. Contador’s Saxo Bank-Sungard manager Bjarne Riis said the Spaniard is recovered from the knee injury that hampered him in the Pyrénées and that he must attack every rider in the race on the road to the Col du Galibier Thursday.

Brian Holcombe checks in with HTC's Bernhard Eisel

Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen won his second stage of the 2011 Tour de France on Wednesday, improving on his second place of the day before and giving Norway two stage wins in a row and its fourth stage of this Tour.

Stage

• 1. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Sky Procycling, in 4h 18' 00"
• 2. Bauke Mollema, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 00:40
• 3. Sandy Casar, Fdj, at 00:50
• 4. Julien El Fares, Cofidis Le Credit En Ligne, at 00:50
• 5. Sylvain Chavanel, Quick Step Cycling Team, at 00:50

• 1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, in 73h 23' 49"
• 2. Cadel Evans, BMC Racing Team, at 1:18
• 3. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 01:22
• 4. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 02:36
• 5. Samuel Sanchez, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 02:59

July 20 Stage 17: Gap to Pinerolo (Italy), 178km (110.6 miles)