26 year-old rider Andy Schleck blew by the other rider to take Stage 18 by two minutes and seven seconds in the 2011 Tour de France. The second of three straight climbs, Stage 18 finishes at the point of highest altitude over this year's course. Shleck's brother Frank finished in second.
Andy Schleck shortened the gap between him and leader Thomas Voeckler by under two minutes and 30 seconds by the end of the stage. Voeckler is holding onto the yellow jersey by 15 seconds. Over at SBNation.com, Kevin McCauley believes that Voeckler's strangle hold over the maillot jaune will be coming to an end soon.
It would be shocking to see Voeckler keep his yellow again on Alpe d'Huez, but then again, it was shocking to see him stick with Evans, Frank Schleck, Basso and Cunego on Thursday's stage. He even beat Contador and Sanchez while he exerted less energy than Evans and Andy Schleck, so who knows what might happen on Stage 18.
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