Alberto Contador Wins Second Tour De France Title

Alberto Contador has won his second career Tour de France race. Contador proved to be the best racer at this year's Tour, winning two individual stages, at Stages 15 and 18, and finishing in the top five in many others. Contador takes home the yellow jersey as part of his victory. He previously won the Tour de France in 2007. Contador, who was the pre-race favorite, had a lead of more than four minutes ahead of fellow competitors and was never in danger in the last stages. This was Contador's second Tour de France appearance and his second victory. He will be the favorite to win it all next year again. Contador's performance has come under scrutiny and Contador has been the subject of doping rumors in the past.

Andy Shleck finished in second place, 4 minutes and 11 seconds behind Contador. It was a very impressive showing for the 24-year old, who was making his second appearance in the Tour. He did not win any individual stages but had a great race. Schleck was awarded the white jersey because he was the youth classification leader after the race. His brother, Frank Schleck, finished in fifth place in the overall standings, a little more than six minutes behind Contador. Frank won Stage 17 of the race.

Lance Armstrong, who was racing in his first Tour de France in more than four years, finished in a very impressive third place and on the podium. Armstrong, who was more than five minutes behind the winner, becomes the second oldest rider, at 37 years old, to reach the podium. This was the first time that Lance had raced in the Tour de France and not win the yellow jersey and the title. Lance was riding for cancer awareness and to prove all the doubters that he can still ride with the best of them. Armstrong has confirmed that he will be back next year to race in the 2010 Tour de France, with Team RadioShack. The 2010 Tour de France will be his last Tour.

Mark Cavendish won a record six stages in this year's Tour, winning Stage 2, 3, 10, 11, 19, and 21, bringing his total stage wins to ten in only two years of competing. But Cavendish did not finish in the top ten in the overall standings. Cavendish won many sprints at the 2009 Tour de France and has to be one of the greatest sprinters in cycling today.

This year's Tour was one of the best in recent memory, with the best racers in the world and one of the highest publicized. Cycling is finally getting the attention that they have asked for in the past.