Contador opens up about Armstrong

Now that the Tour de France 2009 is over, the fur is finally flying. Alberto Contador, winner of the Tour, has come out and told the world what his real feelings are towards Armstrong — that he has never admired Lance and never will – personally, that is. Professionally, it’s a different story, says Contador, but then again how do you separate feelings? Are they in different containers? One must spill out into the other.

Contador also said that being around Armstrong was much more difficult than the entire Tour. “The situation was very delicate and tense because the conflict with Armstrong spread to the rest of the team. I don’t know yet which team I will be joining after this but I need a team that stands by me 100 percent.”

Meow!

Embarrassing moment of the Tour: the Tour organization played the Danish national anthem, not the Spanish one, when Contador was on the stand.

Although everyone has known that the relationship between the two men had always been tense even before the Tour when Contador joined Astana (not knowing Armstrong would join later and challenge him as team leader), neither has openly come out against the other . . . until now. Read Lance Armstrong’s tweets.

Contador wins Tour de France 2009, Cavendish wins Paris stage

Quite a dramatic finish today in Paris for the Tour de France 2009! Cavendish won the final stage in Paris, as his team, Columbia, outwitted Garmin once again. Cavendish should have won the green jersey but he was penalized a few stages ago, thereby giving Thor Hushovd the lead. Still, Cavendish won six stages which is more than any other British rider.

Final standings:

1st – Contador; 2nd – Andy Schleck; 3rd – Lance Armstrong

King of the Mountains (red peas jersey): Franco Pellizotti

Best young rider (white jersey): Andy Schleck

Best sprinter (green jersey): Thor Hushovd

Best team: Astana

Schleck brothers do well in stage 17 of Tour de France 2009

The Schlecks are doing well. Frank Schleck won stage 17 (Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Le Grand-Bornand, very hilly) and his brother, Andy, came in third. Alberto Contador, who ended up in 2nd place, still wears the maillot jaune. Poo Denis Menchov crashed several times. He’s not having a good Tour de France this year even though he won the Giro d’Italia. Tomorrow’s individual time trial will be a very interesting one indeed.

Contador wins stage 15 of Tour de France in Verbier

As expected, Alberto Contador (Astana) has won the first of the Alpine stages that ended in Verbier, Switzerland. He has also taken the maillot jaune. Lance Armstrong came in second. Contador showed his strength in the mountains and the next stages (rest day tomorrow) will test his experience and condition. Armstrong was very impressive indeed. A lot of people underestimated him because he retired four years ago and is much older than many riders.

Now things are getting interesting  . . .

Vinokourov also plans comeback in 2009

Alexandre Vinokourov, the disgraced Astana rider from Kazakhstan, who was kicked out of the Tour de France last year for blood doping, says he wants to race again in 2009 for his old team, Astana. Vinokourov had “retired” from cycling, but perhaps Lance Armstrong’s coming out of retirement must have inspired him to do the same. Vino says he won’t ride the Tour but perhaps the Giro d’Italia. Alberto Contador, who has also recently joined Astana, prefers Vino to Armstrong.

“Contador thinks teaming with Armstrong would be trickier to manage than with Vinokourov, whose return still has to be cleared by the International Cycling Union . . . Contador described his working relationship with Armstrong as “very good” but said having two riders fighting for the same Tour title would create a “delicate” situation within the team.” (from IHT)

Related news:

Vinokourov tests positive in Tour de France 2007

Vinokourov’s bizarre excuse for blood doping