Spaniard Contador wins Tour de France

[cosmicone]

Source: Times of India / Reuters

PARIS: Alberto Contador emerged as the new cycling boss on Sunday when the Spaniard wrapped up his second Tour de France
title on the
Champs-Elysees on Lance Armstrong's return to the race.

The 26-year-old Contador stayed safe in the main bunch as the last stage, over 164 km from Montereau Fault-Yonne, went to Briton Mark Cavendish.

He out sprinted Columbia team mate Mark Renshaw of Australia and American Tyler Farrar to clinch his sixth stage win in this year's race.

Contador proved the strongest rider in the mountains and in the time trials, beating Luxemburg's Andy Schleck by four minutes 11 seconds for the overall victory.

Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/SPORTS-More-Sports-Cycling/Spaniard-Contador-wins-Tour-de-France/articleshow/4822820.cms

[4lbs]

1. For an "old man" to be in the top 5 is amazing.

Lance is 37 years old, going on 38, and finished 3rd overall.

Contador is 26 years old, and the others in the top 5 are all under 27 years old.

Lance also stated he was coming into the tour at about 85% peak form.

There were 3 stages where Lance intentionally held back, not attacking Contador, as he was 'spying' on some other top contendors.

I feel he'll do even better next year, because he won't be spending his time "guarding" Alberto Contador's yellow jersey. It will be just Lance and Johann Bruyneel, as Contador will be on a different team.

[rocktivity]

2. But if it wasn't Lance's aim to win, why did he bother?

Sure it's great that someone with his medical history ended up on the podium at his age--especially after a three-year layoff. But what's the advantage of "guarding Alberto Contador's yellow jersey"--guarding it from WHAT?

:headbang:
rocktivity

[4lbs]

4. Cycling is a TEAM sport. Once a rider on the team gets the yellow jersey, every other rider on the

team is expected to work to protect that guy.

Once Alberto got the yellow jersey, there were stages where Lance fended off attacks on Contador from other riders.

He fended off attacks from the Schleck brothers (Luxembourg), Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain), last year's tour winner Carlos Sastre (from Spain), and Denis Menchov (Russian).

Oh, and why did Lance bother coming back? To prove that, even at 37+ years of age, he can still ride with young kids ~25 years old. Note that NO rider has ever won the tour past the age of 34, and very few have even been able to manage 3rd place or better.

Lance has said that when he races again next year, he'll be even better, because being away from the sport for 4 years, plus, the broken collarbone and bruised back in April, he wasn't at peak form for the Tour until the last few days.

So, a 37-year old rider, away from the sport for multiple years, having suffered some injuries a few months prior, still manages to get 3rd overall while not in top physical condition.

[glinda]

6. George Hincapie might be with him too. I was bothered by the Polka Dot Jersey

winner. Usually they kiss the two girls and the African American girl, he ignored and did not kiss. She put her hand gently on his shoulder to get his attention and he blew her off. Really an ass.
I also do not like Andy Schleck or however his named is spelled. He is arrogant. Rarely praises the winner and just talks about his self. Ugh.....
I have watched the Tour for years and this year was bothered by it's whiteness and arrogance in some people. I thought Astana played nice.

[cosmicone]

11. France has black citizens too and they are not called

"African American" :rofl:

[glinda]

14. Still what was up with ignoring her. It was rude.

[glinda]

5. Lance came back to win to draw attention to cancer research which he will be taking

on a worldwide campaign and not just in the US. He did not need to win. He is moving into another position in putting Teams together as well as consulting. Alberto was cheated out of his title last time becasuse of someone doping on the Team so Astana was thrown out. It was a matter of what seemed due.

[4lbs]

8. True. That's why I consider the 2008 Tour as being marked with an asterisk, because the defending

champion from 2007 wasn't allowed to ride.

Otherwise, we might be witness to Contador's 3rd straight Tour victory.

[glinda]

15. Totally agree.

[tinrobot]

7. He was aiming to win.

He said so at the beginning of the race.

But Contador was better in the Pyrenees and Lance had to ride support as his teammate from there on out.

[4lbs]

9. We also have to remember that Lance would actually be second overall had it not been for Contador's

surprising attack on one mountain stage that left both Lance and Kloeden behind, which is not what team manager Bruyneel wanted.

That's where the Schleck brothers who went with Contador then gained about 90 seconds on Lance and put him in 3rd place instead of the 2nd place overall when the day started.

[AzNick]

13. Because he was bored n/t

[elleng]

12. I've enjoyed reading here

from Tour afficionados! I follow, loosely.

[pscot]

17. He also broke a collarbone

earlier in the year.

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Thank God Lance Armstrong didn't win

Ole.

[rocktivity]

10. That I agree with

simply because I don't think the international cycling community could have taken the humiliation of a victory by a 37-year old American with seven victories, a three-year layoff, and his medical history!

:rofl:
rocktivity

[yy4me]

16. Every rider is an amazing athlete. I admire all of them but for

Lance, at his age and after such a long break to come in third? Extraordinary.

Not extraordinary however was the Versus coverage. I usually love the gang but this year I could watch so little that what I did see was mostly babble.

Watching through their website was torture. Not only confusing but too much commentary this year, along with a huge number of commercials. The home page would give you a headache trying to figure out what to click on.

I hope next year, Versus gets its act together and puts on a better performance. These extraordinary athletes deserve more.