ALBERTO CONTADOR HAS been talking to the press ahead of Le Tour’s final week.
The three-time winner of the event, participating in this year’s race under the threat of a retroactive ban from competition, has endured a difficult fortnight in the saddle that has seen him sustain a knee injury and lose four minutes to leader Thomas Voeckler.
While last week’s Pyreneean mountain stages devolved into a stalemate between Voeckler and the remaining race favourites, Contador is hopeful that the Alpen climbs, particularly the infamous Galibier, can prove more decisive: “The Galibier stage is the hardest with the last 10 kilometres of the ascent to the Col d’Agnel… I’m not as good or as fresh as at the Giro but I think I will be better in the Alps than in the Pyrenees. If I have good legs, it is certain that I will attack because it is my style.”
Conscious of the fact that his time-trialing prowess can’t be relied upon to carry the day, with Australian Cadel Evans likely to mount a stiff challenge in that discipline, Contador is determined to make his mark in the mountains and shrug off the effects of his lingering injury:
“Because of the crash, I had to change my pedalling. My right knee was hurting so I had to compensate with the other knee and it changed my way of pedaling…But I feel better, I’m confident for the Alps.”
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As fallible as the Spaniard has appeared during this year’s Tour, even a partial return to the sort of climbing form that saw him dominate this year’s Giro could spell trouble for his rivals.
Contador looking forward to the Alps
ALBERTO CONTADOR HAS been talking to the press ahead of Le Tour’s final week.
The three-time winner of the event, participating in this year’s race under the threat of a retroactive ban from competition, has endured a difficult fortnight in the saddle that has seen him sustain a knee injury and lose four minutes to leader Thomas Voeckler.
While last week’s Pyreneean mountain stages devolved into a stalemate between Voeckler and the remaining race favourites, Contador is hopeful that the Alpen climbs, particularly the infamous Galibier, can prove more decisive: “The Galibier stage is the hardest with the last 10 kilometres of the ascent to the Col d’Agnel… I’m not as good or as fresh as at the Giro but I think I will be better in the Alps than in the Pyrenees. If I have good legs, it is certain that I will attack because it is my style.”
Conscious of the fact that his time-trialing prowess can’t be relied upon to carry the day, with Australian Cadel Evans likely to mount a stiff challenge in that discipline, Contador is determined to make his mark in the mountains and shrug off the effects of his lingering injury:
As fallible as the Spaniard has appeared during this year’s Tour, even a partial return to the sort of climbing form that saw him dominate this year’s Giro could spell trouble for his rivals.
- additional reporting AP
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Alberto Contador Andy Schleck Cadel Evans Cycling Doping Controversy Injury TDF Thomas Voeckler Tour de France