Schleck brothers dominate 12th stage

LUZ-ARDIDEN, France – Score one for the Schleck brothers – Andy and Frank – against defending champion Alberto Contador.

The Tour de France entered the Pyrenees on Thursday, and the Schlecks delivered a 1-2 punch with attacks at the end of the 131-mile Stage 12 from Cugnaux to the Luz-Ardiden ski station. By the finish, Contador was gritting his teeth.

Spanish climbing specialist Samuel Sanchez, whose team is based in nearby Basque country, gave the home crowd reason to celebrate. He won the stage after riding inspired through a sea of red, green and white Basque flags.

And the current darling of French cycling – Thomas Voeckler – surprised himself by keeping the yellow jersey on Bastille Day after scaling three punishing peaks.

Sanchez and Voeckler, however, aren’t expected to be among the contenders for the title when the three-week cycling showcase ends July 24 on Paris’ Champs-Elysees.

Contador and Andy Schleck – and maybe his brother – are. That’ll be after the race runs through more punishment in the Alps in Week Three and a pivotal individual time trial in Grenoble on the next-to-last race day.

Thursday’s leg showed that the once indomitable Contador, who had a dismal Tour start because of crashes and stumbles at his Saxo Bank team, can be vulnerable in the mountains.

On Thursday, the pack scaled the Hourquette d’Ancizan, an ascent making its Tour debut. Then came the fabled Col du Tourmalet pass and the ride up to Luz-Ardiden – both among the toughest climbs in cycling.

Sanchez, trailed closely by Belgian rider Jelle Vanendert, overtook a group of breakaway riders up Luz-Ardiden and mustered a final burst of speed to win their two-man sprint in the last few hundred yards.