Tim Wellens (LTS) took the stage win from a group of three, including Contador and Richie Porte (BMC), a well-deserved win having been out in front all day.
Wellens was part of a group of 19 riders who attacked early on, containing Thomas de Gendt (LTS) and Antoine Duchesne (DEN) who were set to duke it out over the remaining King of the Mountain points.
The Canadian Duchesne was in no mood to relinquish his 21 point lead in the standings, and took the first four summits, each time ahead of de Gendt. With those points, he was confirmed as the King of the Mountains, hard earned after three days in the breaks.
With two category 1 climbs remaining, there were still opportunities for Contador to make inroads into the 15 second deficit to Geraint Thomas, and he made his move on the first, the Côte de Peille. A response was not immediately forthcoming, as Contador eventually settled into a group in between the breakaway, which had dwindled to six, and the main group, including Thomas' Team Sky.
Contador was joined by two teammates from the lead group, at which point Sky sensed the danger, upping the pace to reel Contador back in, which they eventually did after he had been out front for 30km.
The Spaniard was not willing to let it sit at that, attacking twice more on his own with no success. A third time he was joined by Romain Bardet (AGR), Richie Porte (BMC) and his Tinkoff teammate Rafal Majka, and managed to put a small gap into Geraint Thomas.
On the climb up the final category 1, the Col d'Èze, Contador and Porte had gone out themselves and caught the leader Wellens. Attention, however, turned to the peloton, as it appeared that Thomas had cracked. The Welshman dropped back to over half a minute behind Contador et al as Sky teammates dropped back to try to drag him back.
As they descended, Thomas' tactics became more clear, as the higher gear he had chosen for just such a downhill chase gave him every chance of closing the gap. From 30 seconds at the summit, halfway down the 16km descent the gap had fallen only to 25, but he kept pushing, as Wellens, Contador and Porte forged on out front.
The gap had dropped to 10 seconds by the 3km to go mark, as Thomas had bridged the gap to a chasing group with the help of Sergio Henao, who then worked together to close. In the leading trio, Contador knew every place mattered as well as seconds, as the time bonuses could swing the race one way or another.
With a couple of hundred metres left, Wellens found some extra energy despite leading for so long, leaving Contador and Porte scrapping for second as he crossed the line. Contador had just enough to beat Porte to second, but there was not long to wait to find out who the ultimate winner was, as Thomas' group crossed the line just five seconds behind.
Those five, coupled with Contador's six bonus seconds, meant Geraint Thomas won the General Classification by just four seconds from the Spaniard. Had Contador managed to win the stage, those four seconds would have brought Contador level with Thomas, at which point the race would have been decided on the fractions of a second recorded in the prologue.
ASO/G. Demouveaux
Just how much the abandoning of stage 3 changed the overall race will have to be left to debate, but it is certain that without it, we were treated to a classic final two stages. It is also hard to argue against Geraint Thomas being a worthy winner, showing incredible determination to claw back every one of Contador's attacks over the last two days.
Stage winner Tim Wellens (LTS):
"It was my luck today to be with Contador and Porte. I knew they wanted to take time and they had not time to waste to fool around. I knew I could ride full gas with those two and stay in the front. It's a great victory."
GC winner Geraint Thomas (SKY):Stage results
"When Alberto went, we took it calmly at first but then on Col d'Eze, I must admit my legs gave way and I really thought it was over even for the podium. But then in the descent, I must really thank Sergio, this yellow jersey also belongs to him.
"This is amazing. It's definitely the greatest win in my career so far. To win ahead of Alberto, who is one of the greatest stage racers ever, and Richie, who won almost every race he entered last year, I can hardly believe it. I'm over the moon."
1. Tim Wellens (LTS) 3:16:09
2. Alberto Contador (TNK) + :00
3. Richie Porte (BMC) + :00
General Classification final standings
1. Geraint Thomas (SKY) 27:26:40
2. Alberto Contador (TNK) + :04
3. Richie Porte (BMC) + :12
4. Ilnur Zakarin (KAT) + :20
5. Ion Izaguirre (MOV) + :37
6. Sergio Henao (SKY) + :44
7. Simon Yates (OGE) + :44
8. Tony Gallopin (LTS) + :51
9. Romain Bardet (AGR) + 1:00
10. Rui Costa (LAM) + 1:07
King of the Mountains final standings
1. Antoine Duchesne (DEN) 78
2. Jesus Herrada (MOV) 51
3. Thomas de Gendt (LTS) 49
Points Classification final standings
1. Michael Matthews (OGE) 53
2. Alberto Contador (TNK) 23
3. Ben Swift (SKY) 22
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