Grenoble - Cadel Evans is set to become the first Australian winner of the Tour de France after overcoming his overnight deficit to Andy Schleck in the penultimate stage time trial Saturday.

BMC leader Evans started the 42.5km race against the clock with a 57-second deficit to Schleck in the overall standings but easily erased that on his way to second place behind stage winner Tony Martin of Germany.

It means Evans will go into Sunday's final stage, a 95km run from Creteil to Paris which is traditionally not disputed by the overall contenders, as the new race champion.

"I can't quite believe I've done it," said Evans, who was applauded by hundreds of his compatriots after he pulled on the yellow jersey for the first time in the race.

"It's an incredible day for us, for Cadel and for the sport in general," added BMC team manager Jim Ochowicz.

Evans, the runner-up in 2007 and 2008, will succeed Spain's three-time champion Alberto Contador, who suffered a dramatic collapse in the penultimate stage on Thursday to all but drop out of contention.

HTC-Highroad's specialist Martin, who had started his race earlier in the day when the course was still drying after a spell of rain, clocked a winning time of 55:33.

"After I saw that I couldn't follow the best (overall) riders in the mountains my only goal was to win this time trial," said Martin, who won on the exact same course when it was staged on the Criterium du Dauphine last month.

"For me, it's a really nice way to finish the race."

Evans finished only seven seconds behind in 55:40 while Schleck could only come over the finish line in 17th place in 58:11.

Contador finished third on the stage at 1:06 behind Martin, one place ahead of Belgian surprise package Thomas De Gendt and two ahead of another Australian, Saxo Bank team-mate Richie Porte.

Heading into Sunday's final stage Sunday Evans, the 2009 world champion, holds a comfortable lead of 1:34 on Andy Schleck, while his older brother Frank Schleck will finish third overall at 2:30.

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler, who gave up possession of the yellow jersey to Schleck only on Friday after 10 days in the lead, is fourth overall at 3:20 with Contador fifth at 3:57.

Evans, who was the first Australian to lead the Giro d'Italia, in 2002, had lost both the 2007 and 2008 Tours after penultimate stage time trials, to Contador and fellow Spaniard Carlos Sastre respectively.

But amid his most solid campaign on the world's premier cycling event the Australian quickly his team's fears to bed when he passed the first time check 36 seconds faster than Andy Schleck.

By the 27km mark the Australian had become the virtual race leader with a lead of nearly two minutes on Schleck, who 10km further on was 2:12 down on the Australian.

Schleck battled to the end, but the Luxemburger - who had said at the start of the race he would win the Tour in the mountains - will have to settle for a third consecutive runner-up place.

Standings from the 20th stage of the Tour de France, a 42.5km ride around Grenoble on Saturday:

1. Tony Martin (GER/HTC) 55min 34sec
2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 0:06.
3. Alberto Contador (ESP/SAX) 1:05.
4. Thomas DE GEN (BEL/VAC) 1:28.
5. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 1:30.
6. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 1:32.
7. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 1:36.
8. Fabian Cancellara (SWI/LEO) 1:42.
9. Peter Velits (SVK/HTC) 2:02.
10. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 2:03.
11. Tom Danielson (USA/GRM) 2:07.
12. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) 2:10.
13. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 2:13.
14. Maxime Monfort (BEL/LEO) 2:35.
15. Kristjan Koren (SLO/LIQ) 2:36.
16. Andy Schleck (LUX/LEO) 2:37.
17. Adriano Malori (ITA/LAM) 2:38.
18. Lieuwe Westra (NED/VAC) 2:39.
19. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 2:39.
20. Frank Schleck (LUX/LEO) 2:40.
21. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 2:49.
22. Jérome Coppel (FRA/SAU) 2:50.
23. Jürgen Roelandts (BEL/OLO) 2:56.
24. Carlos Barredo (ESP/RAB) 2:58.
25. Christian Vande Velde (USA/GRM) 2:59.
26. Sandy Casar (FRA/FDJ) 3:02.
27. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 3:22.
28. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) 3:27.
29. Danny Pate (USA/HTC) 3:30.
30. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 3:35.
31. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 3:38.
32. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 3:41.
33. Maciej Bodnar (POL/LIQ) 3:43.
34. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 3:46.
35. Nicki Sörensen (DEN/SAX) 3:50.
36. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/HTC) 3:57.
37. Chris Anker Sörensen (DEN/SAX) 3:58.
38. Maxime Bouet (FRA/ALM) 3:59.
39. Robert Gesink (NED/RAB) 4:01.
40. Maartens Tjallingii (NED/RAB) 4:06.
41. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 4:10.
42. Gorka Verdugo (ESP/EUS) 4:13.
43. Markel Irizar (ESP/RSH) 4:18.
44. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP/SKY) 4:19.
45. Christian Knees (GER/SKY) 4:23.
46. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 4:23.
47. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/SAU) 4:29.
48. Daniel Oss (ITA/LIQ) 4:34.
49. Dmitry Muravyev (KAZ/RSH) 4:36.
50. Kevin De Weert (BEL/QST) 4:37.
51. Rui Costa (POR/MOV) 4:38.
52. Rob Ruijgh (NED/VAC) 4:42.
53. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 4:42.
54. Stuart O'Grady (AUS/LEO) 4:44.
55. Jelle Vanendert (BEL/OLO) 4:44.
56. Mikhail Ignatiev (RUS/KAT) 4:45.
57. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) 4:48.
58. George Hincapie (USA/BMC) 4:49.
59. Anthony Charteau (FRA/EUC) 4:51.
60. Jérôme Pineau (FRA/QST) 4:52.
61. Xavier Zandio (ESP/SKY) 4:54.
62. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 4:56.
63. Tony Gallopin (FRA/COF) 4:59.
64. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 5:01.
65. Andrej Zeits (KAZ/AST) 5:04.
66. Egoi Martinez (ESP/EUS) 5:09.
67. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/HTC) 5:11.
68. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 5:11.
69. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/LEO) 5:14.
70. Michael Schär (SWI/BMC) 5:16.
71. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/RAB) 5:16.
72. Julien El Farès (FRA/COF) 5:19.
73. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/OLO) 5:19.
74. Sébastien Minard (FRA/ALM) 5:26.
75. Grischa Niermann (GER/RAB) 5:27.
76. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 5:30.
77. Sylvester Szmyd (POL/LIQ) 5:35.
78. Levi Leipheimer (USA/RSH) 5:38.
79. Sergio Paulinho (POR/RSH) 5:42.
80. Perrig Quemeneur (FRA/EUC) 5:43.
81. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/BMC) 5:46.
82. Vladimir Gusev (RUS/KAT) 5:46.
83. Tomas Vaitkus (LTU/AST) 5:47.
84. Matthew Goss (AUS/HTC) 5:48.
85. Brent Bookwalter (USA/BMC) 5:50.
86. Maciej Paterski (POL/LIQ) 5:51.
87. David Loosli (SWI/LAM) 5:52.
88. Anthony Roux (FRA/FDJ) 5:54.
89. Gianni Meersman (BEL/FDJ) 5:54.
90. José Joaquin Rojas (ESP/MOV) 5:56.
91. Linus Gerdemann (GER/LEO) 5:56.
92. Sebastian Lang (GER/OLO) 6:01.
93. Simon Gerrans (AUS/SKY) 6:02.
94. Yannick Talabardon (FRA/SAU) 6:02.
95. Romain Zingle (BEL/COF) 6:05.
96. Remy Di Gregorio (FRA/AST) 6:07.
97. Vincent Jérôme (FRA/EUC) 6:08.
98. Dries Devenyns (BEL/QST) 6:08.
99. Grega Bole (SLO/LAM) 6:10.
100. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/AST) 6:10.
101. Daniel Navarro (ESP/SAX) 6:13.
102. Sébastien Turgot (FRA/EUC) 6:14.
103. David Arroyo (ESP/MOV) 6:14.
104. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 6:17.
105. Thor Hushovd (NOR/GRM) 6:19.
106. Fabrice Jeandesboz (FRA/SAU) 6:20.
107. Johnny Hoogerland (NED/VAC) 6:22.
108. Egor Silin (RUS/KAT) 6:22.
109. David Moncoutié (FRA/COF) 6:24.
110. Steve Morabito (SWI/BMC) 6:27.
111. Sébastien Hinault (FRA/ALM) 6:28.
112. Marco Marcato (ITA/VAC) 6:29.
113. Nicolas Roche (EIR/ALM) 6:29.
114. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 6:30.
115. Jesus Hernandez (ESP/SAX) 6:31.
116. Ivan Gutierrez (ESP/MOV) 6:34.
117. Joost Posthuma (NED/LEO) 6:36.
118. Paolo Longo Borghini (ITA/LIQ) 6:45.
119. Arnaud Coyot (FRA/SAU) 6:46.
120. Amaël Moinard (FRA/BMC) 6:49.
121. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) 6:50.
122. Andriy Grivko (UKR/AST) 6:53.
123. Laurens ten Dam (NED/RAB) 6:55.
124. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/LAM) 6:56.
125. Jonathan Hivert (FRA/SAU) 7:03.
126. Marcus Burghardt (GER/BMC) 7:08.
127. Ruben Perez Moreno (ESP/EUS) 7:08.
128. Audrey Amador (CRC/MOV) 7:09.
129. Ben Swift (ENG/SKY) 7:13.
130. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/COF) 7:19.
131. Julian Dean (NZL/GRM) 7:21.
132. Jimmy Engoulvent (FRA/SAU) 7:24.
133. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/EUS) 7:24.
134. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 7:28.
135. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 7:30.
136. Alan Perez Lezaun (ESP/EUS) 7:30.
137. Marcel Sieberg (GER/OLO) 7:35.
138. André Greipel (GER/OLO) 7:38.
139. Addy Engels (NED/QST) 7:38.
140. Danilo Hondo (GER/LAM) 7:39.
141. Tristan Valentin (FRA/COF) 7:41.
142. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) 7:44.
143. Mickael Delage (FRA/FDJ) 7:53.
144. Francisco Ventoso (ESP/MOV) 7:54.
145. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 7:54.
146. Laurent Mangel (FRA/SAU) 7:55.
147. Gerald Ciolek (GER/QST) 8:07.
148. Arthur Vichot (FRA/FDJ) 8:09.
149. Fabio Sabatini (ITA/LIQ) 8:10.
150. Bernhard Eisel (AUT/HTC) 8:11.
151. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/SAX) 8:15.
152. Pablo Urtasun (ESP/EUS) 8:18.
153. Mark Renshaw (AUS/HTC) 8:26.
154. Brian Vandborg (DEN/SAX) 8:26.
155. Matteo Bono (ITA/LAM) 8:32.
156. Mark Cavendish (IDM/HTC) 8:34.
157. Jens Voigt (GER/LEO) 8:37.
158. Alessandro Vanotti (ITA/LIQ) 8:43.
159. Dmitriy Fofonov (KAZ/AST) 8:45.
160. Denys Kostyuk (UKR/LAM) 9:03.
161. Michael Buffaz (FRA/COF) 9:16.
162. Benjamin Noval (ESP/SAX) 9:27.
163. Borut Božic (SLO/VAC) 9:44.
164. Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ/AST) 9:44.
165. Fabio-Leonardo Duque (COL/COF) 9:48.
166. Niki Terpstra (NED/QST) 10:38.
167. Jeremie Galland (FRA/SAU) 11:18.