Alberto Contador commented on his declined performance at the UCI Road World Time Trial event
After registering an overall victory at the Vuelta a Espana 2012, Alberto Contador was eying at least podium at the 45.7 kilometre Elite Men time trial race on Wednesday.
The Spaniard had to face the disappointment after his deprived performance during the race as he could not secure any better than the ninth overall position after the race.
The cyclist finished 2 minute and 30 seconds behind the race leader, Tony Martin and admired the German’s performance during the contest.
"I wasn't feeling good from the start, I noticed that in seven or eight kilometres, my legs weren't going well and I couldn't get really focused," he cited.
"Then when Tony Martin went past me that was tough to handle. I knew he was on for a winning time, I tried to keep close to him but it was impossible”.
“He was turning a massive gear, it was a false flat, and he was still heading away from me".
"I just tried to keep him at a reasonable distance and finish ok because I knew that a medal was not a possibility," Contador concluded.
The 29-year-old cited that the Vuelta a Espana fatigue was the main reason behind his below-expectations performance at the race and never had enough legs right from the start of the race.
Alberto will now be seen in action at the Milan Turin and the Giro di Lombardia scheduled on September 26 and September 29.
Top 20 finishers after the UCI Road World Championships, Individual Time Trial event are as under,
1
Tony Martin (Germany)
0:58:38.80
2
Taylor Phinney (United States Of America)
0:00:05.37
3
Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus)
0:01:44.99
4
Tejay Van Garderen (United States Of America)
0:01:49.37
5
Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Sweden)
0:01:50.56
6
Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kazakhstan)
0:01:56.44
7
Jan Barta (Czech Republic)
0:02:12.49
8
Alex Dowsett (Great Britain)
0:02:26.06
9
Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain)
0:02:30.00
10
Adriano Malori (Italy)
0:02:40.54
11
Andriy Grivko (Ukraine)
0:02:43.69
12
Svein Tuft (Canada)
0:02:56.24
13
Tanel Kangert (Estonia)
0:02:57.13
14
Riccardo Zoidl (Austria)
0:02:57.27
15
Sylvain Chavanel (France)
0:02:58.15
16
Cameron Meyer (Australia)
0:02:59.65
17
Kristijan Koren (Slovenia)
0:03:05.29
18
Jérémy Roy (France)
0:03:08.16
19
Gustav Larsson (Sweden)
0:03:11.99
20
Thomas De Gendt (Belgium)
0:03:15.29
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