Repercussions of Alberto Contador’s Trade
Alberto Contador won his third Tour de France this year. He won his first in 2007, then joined Astana for the 2008 season, but the team was not invited to the Tour that year. Without the Tour de France to focus on, Contador managed the Grand Tour hat-trick by winning the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana in the same year, making him the fifth cyclist ever to win all three Grand Tours.
He went on to win the Tour in 2009 and 2010 with Astana, but his contract expires at the end of this season. The Spaniard has signed a deal to join SunGard-Saxo Bank, run by Bjarne Riis, the team which hosted Andy Schleck when he finished the Tour in second place behind Contador in both 2009 and 2010.
“There will be lots of very good riders in my next team. I’ve been asked who I would like to come with me. Nothing has been decided but my wish would be for [Benjamín] Noval, [Jesús] Hernández and [Dani] Navarro to join me,” said Contador.
The repercussions of the move are many. The Schleck brothers are working on a Luxembourg-based team, but if that falls through they can no longer return to Riis. The pairing of Contador and Riis could be a serious threat to the Schlecks. Team Astana is left without a Grand Tour contender, and Contador could take more of their riders with him and cause a major shift in Riis’ team.
“Will I be racing with Alberto again next season? It’s almost certain that I will be. But don’t forget to write ‘almost,'” said Navarro, who rode with Contador on Astana.
Alexandre Vinokourov, the captain of Team Astana and Tour stage winner, has said the team is considering extending invites to Denis Menchov, third place overall in the Tour, Roman Kreuziger, the third best young rider, and “why not” the Schleck brothers, in case their Luxembourg team doesn’t work out.
“I would have preferred Alberto to stay, but he is doing what he wants, as will those riders who go with him. That’s professional cycling,” said Vinokourov. “With Alberto in the team we have won two Tours, the Giro and the Vuelta, which is a good return. If he’s had a better offer, it’s normal for him to leave.”
Menchov, three-time Grand Tour winner, rode for Rabobank in the Tour and is a much more realistic possibility than the Schleck brothers. While it’s true that nothing has been signed yet for the Luxembourg duo, RadioShack is allegedly their back-up team. 24-year-old Kreuziger would be a good asset for the team, but not a Grand Tour leader.
Bjarne Riis has hinted that he could put Contador in position to be the first rider ever to achieve the Grand Tour Triple, that is, winning the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a Espana in the same season.
"I am convinced that we have not seen his full potential yet. It's obvious that we must go after the Tour de France but Alberto could win all three major races in a year, and I want be a part of that," said Riis to Danish television.
The Spaniard has won five Grand Tours in three years, but he has downplayed Riis’ optimistic suggestion. He won’t be riding the Vuelta a Espana this year, and he still calls the Tour de France his central focus.
"To win the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta in one year is quite simply impossible,” said his brother and manager, Fran Contador. “We have always been clear: the Tour de France is the main objective and we will work towards this in the two coming years."
With two more Tour de France victories, Contador will join the five-timers Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain, though no one can say if he intends to challenge Lance Armstrong’s seven wins. The Spaniard, who said he will likely ride two, but not three, Grand Tours next season, sees his partnership with Riis as tightening his grip as a Tour champion.
"It's a win-win situation," said Contador. "I have managed to win these last couple of years, imposing myself in hard battles, and now I can tell him my feelings and thoughts, just like he can tell me about Andy's weaknesses. It will be a good union."
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