LE GRAND-BORNAND (France) (AFP) - Luxemburg rider Frank Schleck won the 17th stage of the Tour de France here on Wednesday. Spain's 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador - who finished second in the stage - retained the overall leader's yellow jersey while Frank's brother Andy was third. Contador now leads Andy Schleck by 2minutes 26seconds with Frank 3min 25sec adrift and seven-time winner Lance Armstrong dropped out of the podium placings as he lies in fourth 3min 55sec behind his Astana team-mate. On the third and last day of climbing in the Alps Contador confirmed his status as the undisputed race leader after repelling a series of attacks by the lively Schleck brothers in a thrilling finale to the race. As Contador left Armstrong further in his wake, Andy Schleck, of Saxo Bank, moved up the standings to threaten the podium place of Britain's Bradley Wiggins. The Luxemburger and his older brother Frank launched a series of attacks to try and shake off their yellow jersey rivals on the day's second last climb, the steep Col de Romme whose summit was 29km from the finish. Thanks to their accelerations, a group containing all the top five in the general classification among others was split, with Armstrong left behind to mark Wiggins. The Schlecks' fireworks however failed to frighten Contador, and with his Astana teammate Andreas Kloden staying with him the Schlecks were running out of options. With Contador apparently unbeatable, it would soon become clear that leaving Wiggins as far behind as possible, and off the virtual podium, was Andy Schleck's best option. The quartet came over the summit of the Col de Romme with a 1:20 lead on Armstrong, Wiggins, his Garmin teammate Christian Vande Velde, and Italian Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas. Spain's defending champion Carlos Sastre had launched a futile attack early on the climb to the Col de Romme, but the Cervelo rider was quickly left trailing among a group which had a three-minute deficit at the summit. Contador meanwhile provided a brief moment of drama when, after losing Kloden, he raced away from the Schlecks on four kilometres from the summit of the Col de la Colombiere. The Spaniard quickly distanced his rivals, however he slowed up to wait on the Schlecks after realising he would be isolated for the 15km descent into Le Grand Bornand.In their wake Armstrong decided it was time to up the pace and he left Wiggins trailing in the final kilometre of the climb. As Kloden crossed over the summit 1:15 behind the leading quartet, Armstrong was at 2:06 with Wiggins and Nibali further behind.On the descent into Le Grand Bornand the Schlecks were left to race with Contador and after a game of cat and mouse it was Frank who prevailed, though, Contador could smile just as easily.