Schleck in yellow heading into crucial time trial

ALPE D'HUEZ, France (AP) - If Andy Schleck is to finally win the Tour de France, he's going to have to overcome one final obstacle on his own.

The two-time Tour runner-up has acknowledged the advantage he gains from racing alongside his older brother Frank. But the younger Schleck won't have that support in Saturday's crucial next-to-last stage, a time trial in which he'll try to hold onto his lead over Cadel Evans.

The Australian, also a two-time runner-up in cycling's premier race, is considered better at the solo race against the clock.

Andy Schleck captured the yellow jersey Friday on the famed Alpe d'Huez, setting up a riveting finish to the 2011 race with the time trial followed Sunday by the dash to the Champs Elysees in Paris. The final stage rarely affects the overall standings.

Frenchman Pierre Rolland won the 19th stage, battling up the mountain's 21 brutally steep bends to finish 14 seconds ahead of Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez and 23 seconds clear of three-time Tour champion Alberto Contador.

Schleck, who lost the 2010 Tour by a mere 39 seconds to Contador, leads his brother Frank by 53 seconds, while Evans is third, 57 seconds behind.

Schleck knocked Contador out of the running in Thursday's ascent of the Galibier pass, launching a daring solo attack from over 30 miles out that the Spaniard couldn't match.

Schleck, considered one of cycling's top climbers, protected his lead over Evans on the Alpe d'Huez, the last of a three-day stretch of epic mountain stages in the Alps and one of the most famous climbs in cycling.

Though Evans didn't gain any time Friday on the 26-year-old rider from Luxembourg, he still has a shot at beating both Schleck brothers in the 26.4-mile time trial around Grenoble.

Time trialing, the individual race against the clock excelled at by specialists such as Swiss world champion Fabian Cancellara and U.S. rider David Zabriskie, has long been a weak point for Andy Schleck.

Evans is a strong time trialist, but it will take a superlative performance to make up his 57-second deficit and upset the Schlecks' long-held dream of becoming the first brothers to finish together on the winner's podium in the Tour's 108-year history.

Andy Schleck said he has not pre-ridden the route for Saturday's stage, but he dismissed concerns he won't be able to hold off Evans.

"Everybody tells me it's a time trial that suits me good, so I believe everybody and hope to show a good performance tomorrow," Schleck said.

Evans beat Schleck by nearly 2 minutes in a 2008 Tour time trial that was about 6.2 miles longer. Schleck was only 23 and riding in his first Tour then, and since has worked on improving in the discipline.

Evans admitted he wished he was not so far behind Schleck going into Saturday's stage.

"Of course I'd like to take more time going into the time trial," Evans said. "I'd much rather be in yellow, with five minutes" going into the stage.

Evans said he'd follow a simple strategy Saturday: "Start as fast as possible, finish as fast as possible, hope you're fast enough."

Schleck took the yellow jersey from Frenchman Thomas Voeckler, who cracked on the day's first climb and never managed to catch the leaders despite a gritty struggle up the Alpe d'Huez.

Schleck made good on his promise Thursday to capture the jersey, after he missed taking the lead on top of the Galibier pass by only 15 seconds after launching a daring solo attack.

Now he has Sunday's finish line firmly in his sights.

"My motivation is super, my legs are good, my condition is there, so I'm confident I can keep this till Paris," Schleck said.

He rode much of the day in a small group alongside Contador, but chose not to follow when the Spaniard attacked at the bottom of the 8.5-mile ascent up the Alpe d'Huez.

"I had no interest in chasing Contador or Sanchez," Schleck said, as neither rider was in contention for the yellow jersey. "Today I had bigger goals than to win the stage."

Rolland crossed the line after attacking near the end of the day's route, packed with thousands of wildly cheering cycling fans.

Rolland, a 24-year-old rider for team Europcar, attacked as the demanding 68-mile trek over three difficult climbs drew to a tense finish, finally dropping Contador and Sanchez as he neared the end of the ascent to 6,100 feet.

Rolland, who is riding in his third Tour, clenched his fists and grinned widely as he crossed the line 14 seconds ahead of Sanchez and 23 seconds in front of Contador.

"I grew up watching Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani, watching how they climb the Alpe d'Huez," Rolland said. "Now I've won the Alpe d'Huez, it's going to take a minute to sink in."

Andy Schleck was 57 seconds behind Rolland in a group of six riders that included his brother and Evans.

Voeckler finished 3 minutes and 21 seconds behind Rolland, losing the yellow jersey he had worn for 10 days. The Frenchman dropped to fourth place overall, 2:10 behind.

---

Greg Keller can be reached at http://twitter.com/Greg-Keller

---

Associated Press Writer Jamey Keaten contributed to this article.