Contador powers to front

VERBIER, Switzerland – Lance Armstrong all but conceded the Tour de France on Sunday to his teammate and rival Alberto Contador after the Spaniard blew away the pack and seized the yellow jersey as the race entered the Alps.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m happy to be a domestique,” Armstrong said, using French cycling jargon for a backup rider. “I’m proud of him.”

The seven-time Tour champion moved up from fourth to second in the standings but lost time to his Astana teammate, whom he now trails by 1 minute, 37 seconds.

Contador, the 2007 Tour champ, basked in the support from the Texan.

“Lance Armstrong was my idol, but dropping him today wasn’t important – he was just like any other rider. … It’s an honor for me to have him working for me,” he told reporters through an interpreter.

The 26-year-old Spaniard broke away from other pre-race favorites with 3.5 miles left in the 128.9-mile ride from Pontarlier, France to the Swiss ski resort of Verbier – and he kept extending his lead to the finish.

Contador came into Sunday’s stage in third place overall, 6 seconds behind Rinaldo Nocentini, who had led the race for eight days. Contador finished in 5 hours, 3 minutes, 58 seconds.

Andy Schleck of Luxembourg was second in the stage, 43 seconds back, and Vincenzo Nibali of Italy was third, 1:03 back. Nocentini was 2:36 off the pace.

Armstrong, who had entered the day fourth overall and 8 seconds behind Nocentini, finished ninth, 1:35 behind his teammate.

Bradley Wiggins of Britain climbed from sixth place to third, 1:46 adrift of the Spaniard.

Riders get a rest day today before the two other Alpine stages, an individual time trial in Annecy on Thursday, and a ride up the dreaded Mont Ventoux on Saturday.

The Tour ends Sunday in Paris.