Germany's Tony Martin secured Team HTC-HighRoad its fifth stage win of the 2011 Tour de France earlier this afternoon when he powered to victory in the Tours's final individual time trial from Grenoble to Grenoble.

Already the time trial winner over an identical route in the Criterium du Dauphine Libere in June, Martin clinched top place yet again in July after taking the fastest times at all the intermediate checkpoints. Second was Australian Cadel Evans of Team BMC Racing finishing seven seconds behind Martin. Third place finisher was Alberto Contador of Team Saxo Bank-SunGard (Spain).

With his time of fifty-five minutes and thirty-three seconds, impressively just six seconds slower than when he won the same time trial in the Criterium du Dauphine, Martin said afterward that he could not be happier with his first Tour de France stage victory after almost three weeks on the bike.

"When I found I couldn't follow the overall contenders in the mountains, my only goal was a time trial win today," Martin told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi and added "Today I got the win and this is a really nice finish in the Tour de France for me."

"I learned a lot from the time trial in the Dauphine. It really helped. I was stronger than in the Dauphine even if my legs were suffering from the Tour, and I felt more tired than four weeks ago (during the identical time trial)."

Evans seized the Tour de France yellow jersey after an inspiring and moving performance in the next-to-last stage of the race, all but giving Australia its first victory in cycling's showpiece event and capping one of the most dramatic races in years.

The two-time Tour de France runner-up took the overall lead by overcoming a 57-second deficit to Andy Schleck of Luxembourg and Team Leopard-Trek in the time trial.

A red-eyed Evans choked up on the victory podium, clearly moved and trying to hold back tears before hurling the winner's bouquet into the crowd.

"I really can't quite believe it right now," 34-year-old Evans told Roadcycling.com and Roadcycling.mobi and added "I have been concentrating on this one event for so long."

Although there is one more stage - Sunday's ceremonial finish to and on the Champs-Elysees in Paris - the leader after the time trial is almost certain to be the winner. Launching a successful attack during that flat ride is virtually impossible and the final stage is known for its sprint finishes.

This year's edition of the 108-year-old Tour de France Grand Tour has been tense all the way - a riveting finish and without the serious doping blights that marred past Tours.

The riders set off Saturday in reverse order of the standings. Andy Schleck had the benefit of riding last, and said beforehand that he'd have the added inspiration of wearing yellow.

By the first intermediate time check at the 9.3-mile mark, Evans had already erased 36 seconds of his deficit to Andy Schleck and was 34 seconds faster than the elder Schleck.

At the second, at 17.1 miles, Andy Schleck's lead had vanished - Evans was 1:32 faster. The Luxembourg rider wasn't even among the 10 fastest riders who had crossed that point. Evans then kept gaining as the stage progressed to the finish.

The looming victory for Evans, the BMC team leader, culminated a stellar and methodical three weeks of riding. Unlike defending champion Alberto Contador and other main contenders, Evans was spared crashes. His only real problem was mechanical trouble Friday, but he recovered without any lost time.

Evans will have won one Tour de France stage on his way to overall Tour victory. More specifically Evans won stage 4 of the Tour. His well-deserved overall Tour triumph attests to his diligent preparation as he eyed a title he has narrowly missed for years.

"Today, we went through the process, like we had the plan every day - and the plan every day was A, B, C, D." he said.

Evans showed a veteran's skill and savvy to take cycling's greatest prize.

"This is the victory of a complete rider," Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said. "Is the consecration of a career."

Evans had been regarded as a perennial underachiever by many cycling analysts until he became a world champion two years ago. And he enjoyed a solid build-up to the Tour, racing less than usual so he would peak at the right moment and arrive at the Tour start in well-rested condition.

The parallels between Andy Schleck and Evans are considerable. Both are two-time runners-up. Both have been second to Contador - Evans once and Schleck twice. Both also know what it's like to just miss out on victory. Evans was second to Contador by 23 seconds in 2007; Schleck was 39 seconds behind the Spaniard last year - two of the closest finishes in race history.

The Schlecks - whichever one - were vying to be the first from Luxembourg to capture the Tour de France victory since Charly Gaul became the country's only winner in 1958.

As second and third overall, they will be the first brothers to share the Tour's winners podium on the Champs-Elysees.

The Schleck brothers, knowing they had lost, embraced after the finish line of the 26-mile time trial. Evans leads Andy Schleck by 01:34, and Frank Schleck by 02:30 heading into the final stage.

Click here for complete stage 20 results and additional photos.