**Briton Bradley Wiggins delivered a heroic ride on Mont Ventoux to cling on to fourth place in the Tour de France.**In the closing kilometres Wiggins slipped off the group containing yellow jersey leader Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong and the Schleck brothers.
But he did just enough to hold on to fourth overall and is set to equal the best finish by a Briton in the race.
Spaniard Contador is poised to win his second Tour de France after he finished fourth in the tough penultimate stage.
Juan Manuel Garate won the stage after breaking away from the peloton early in the race with Tony Martin and Christophe Riblon, with the Spaniard first dropping the Frenchman and then pulling away from the German right at the death.
With Contador comfortably holding on to the yellow jersey, Andy Schleck and Lance Armstrong remain in second and third respectively.
606: DEBATE
Give your reaction to the Ventoux stage
During the ascent of Ventoux, fifth-place Frank Schleck attempted to snatch a podium place from Armstrong, but the seven-time champion kept a careful eye on the Luxembourg rider, always responding to the Saxo Bank rider’s attacks.
Wiggins’ compatriot Mark Cavendish will now turn his attention to winning a sixth stage in the 2009 Tour as the race concludes on the Champs Elysees in Paris on Sunday.
Stage 20 result:
- Juan Manuel Garate (Spa/Rabobank) 4hrs 39mins 21secs
- Tony Martin (Ger/Columbia ) + 3secs
- Andy Schleck (Lux/Saxo Bank ) + 38
- Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) "
- Lance Armstrong (US/Astana) + 41
- Frank Schleck (Lux/Saxo Bank) + 43
- Roman Kreuziger (Czech Rep/Liquigas) + 46
- Franco Pellizotti (Italy/Liquigas) + 56
- Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Liquigas) + 58
- Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) + 1min 03secs
Selected others:
- Charles Weglius (GB/Silence-Lotto) + 8mins 05sec
- Mark Cavendish (GB/Columbia) + 25mins 42secs
- David Millar (GB/Garmin) + 26mins 01secs
**Overall standings: **
- Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) 81hrs 46mins 17secs
- Andy Schleck (Lux/Saxo Bank) + 4mins 11secs
- Lance Armstrong (US/Astana) + 5mins 24secs
- Bradley Wiggins (GB/Garmin) + 6mins 01secs
- Frank Schleck (Lux/Saxo Bank) + 6mins 04secs
- Andreas Kloeden (Ger/Astana) + 6mins 42secs
**Selected others: **
- Carlos Sastre (Spain/Cervelo) + 26mins 21secs