Contador Keeps Tour Lead, Cavendish Wins Stage

After three weeks and thousands of miles of riding, it all comes down to this: a soaring bald mountain in Provence where the Tour de France can be won or lost.

Mark Cavendis

The fabled and dreaded Mont Ventoux on Saturday provides a dramatic climax to Lance Armstrong's comeback Tour - and teammate Alberto Contador is expected to keep the yellow jersey.

Mark Cavendis photo

The main question in the 103.8-mile Stage 20 from Montelimar to the ascent that Armstrong calls the toughest in France is whether he'll be on the podium with the Spaniard when the race finishes Sunday on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Mark Cavendis wallpaper

Friday's relatively flat stage from Bourgoin-Jallieu to Aubenas did little to change the race standings, though an ever-opportunistic Armstrong shaved off four seconds to his deficit to Andy Schleck in second - making up for what he lacks in physical strength with guile.

Mark Cavendis

Britain's Mark Cavendish won the stage in a sprint, collecting his fifth stage victory at this race - the most by a rider in a single Tour since ... Armstrong in 2004.

Mark Cavendis

Contador, like the Armstrong of yesteryear, has been positively dominant at the Tour this year, winning a mountain stage and a time trial - phases of the race that count so much toward overall victory.