Just a brief point. Obviously Alberto Contador’s reputation is on the line, or more appropriately at steak. In situations like this, goodwill matters. You need support, friends, luck and the benefit of doubt. The Spaniard might have the backing of his national federation, after all they stood by Alejandro Valverde for way too long. Only … Read more
I don’t know about you, but for me this picture sums up the 2010 Tour. Contador in yellow and Andy Schleck in white stare at the each other with an intense glare, man-marking as they ride. Meanwhile Rabobank’s Denis Menchov does his thing in the background. The rivalry between Contador and Schleck was the defining … Read more
Right, this is a blog and not a newspaper or website with high standards of journalism to uphold. It’s not cyclingnews.com either. I feel I can float ideas even when I can’t get them officially confirmed. Fran Contador is a busy man So here goes. Astana can’t afford to keep Contador. His brother, acting as … Read more
There are huge industries dedicated towards predicting the future. Meteorologists try to predict the weather, only they struggle to get things right when they look more than four days ahead. French radio often carries adverts for clairevoyants, literally someone with clear vision, one call on a premium phone line and you can speak to somebody … Read more
Even a housewife becomes a DS when the race is on One thing missing from the debate over Andy Schleck’s chain and Alberto Contador’s acceleration is that we’re not looking at it from their point of view. With two motorbikes and a helicopter covering the group of favourites, TV viewers have the perspective that a … Read more
On trial: Contador lost the yellow jersey in the Dauphiné Everyone is saying that Andy Schleck’s 31 second lead over Alberto Contador is not enough, given the 52km time trial through the Bordeaux vineywards. I tend to agree but want to give two examples to suggest nothing’s certain.Final Time TrialsFirst, let’s go back to 2008. … Read more
Oh the irony! For years the first mountain stage was the stage where Lance Armstrong killed the Tour de France. A summit finish would often see him gain control of the race. First his team would shrink the bunch, then one or two lieutenants would select the pace for a select group and then we’d … Read more
There’s a tale of a US law professor who begins his university course with a lecture on witness statements. Midway through the lecture a man bursts in, jostles the lecturer and grabs the professor’s briefcase, wallet and jacket and escapes. Shocked, the professor says “right, can you guys tell me what happened, take notes and … Read more
This is something raised during the RTL-L’Equipe cycling podcast but since the show is in French, I thought it might be interesting bringing it to an English-speaking audience. A rare photo of Pepe Martí at work Vélo Magazine’s Nicolas Perthuis is an authority on training methods and sports science, to the point of annoying some … Read more
Contador is such a favourite for the Tour de France that many are just wondering who will come second and third. But a bad day, a puncture, a crash and everything could change Indurain famously cracked in the 1996 Tour. More recently you could argue Cadel Evans would have won the last Vuelta and Giro … Read more