The Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank, from Luxembourg who ride for the Team Saxo Bank, lived up to their promise of more attacks in the final day in the Alps, the 17th stage of the Tour.

Frank Schleck took a deserved stage victory and shook up the top order in the process.

Yellow Jersey holder Alberto Contador was able to match the attacks and the Tour is his to lose.

But he bemused his Astana team again when he attacked on the final climb and dropped team-mate Andreas Kloden in the process.

The Schlecks stayed with him, with Frank getting the nod to take the stage.

He lies third overall now, with Andy second, 2min 26sec behind Contador, who said: “I asked Andreas if he could attack but then he couldn’t so I had to wait.

"But he could not get back up.”

Armstrong, who dropped Wiggins near the summit of the final climb of the Col de Colombiere, now lies fourth overall.

The American - who will today announce a new sponsor for his own team when he returns to this race next year - still has high hopes.

The seven-time winner of the Tour de France said: “Second place is still my goal. I think it’s possible."

That looks out of Wiggins’ reach, with the Londoner now 4:53 adrift.

But he should claw back some time on the Schlecks in tomorrow time-trial, but probably not enough on Armstrong and Kloden, who are both top-notch racers against the clock.

Contador said: “Wiggins was probably the most dangerous opponent in the time trial.

“Now he has lost too much time to be a threat.”