As last year’s Tour de France unfolded, and the whips began cracking, I was left utterly bemused at the form of Alberto Contador.
Here was a man who only the year before, in one of the great sporting jousts I had ever seen, battled with Andy Schleck and looked utterly untroubled throughout.
This was a guy who I had never seen falter. Powering up mountains like a machine, out of the saddle with the legs firing away.
As I waited for last year’s tour, my hopes for Cadel Evans were dampened by a firm conviction that Alberto Contador could not be beaten.
It was a belief that Evans, though gritty, simply did not have as many gears as the Spaniard, that while he may win a tour in a mediocre year, Contador would always have something in reserve.
Last year, that was not the case. Where he had once one marched, in 2011 Alberto Contador limped. The peerless, domineering cyclist of his previous tour victories did not appear. The man who turned out in his stead appeared utterly ordinary.
When he attacked, he seemed to do so based on what he remembered being capable of rather than what he presently was. When he defended, he clung on rather than cruised.
So now, halfway between the last tour and the next, we are left to wonder. It is a question which has been asked of and debated about many of this sport’s more decorated champions of the past, and it is one which now, is demanded of Alberto Contador.
There had been positive tests but there had never been a knockout blow. He always had an excuse which was just plausible enough to keep us wondering, and the most romantic of us keep believing. Even the famous dodgy meat story.
All of it was held up as evidence that cycling’s finest, and by extension cycling itself, was pure.
The various regulations regarding doping helped. Those regulations contain enough red tape and legal procedure to line the entire route of the next five Tours, and so a series of inquiries and appeals mean that still Contador’s papers have not been conclusively marked.
He remains the official winner of the 2007, 2009 and 2010 tours, and thus remains innocent until proven guilty. He is not yet tarred with the same ignominy of say, Floyd Landis or Alexander Vinokourov, as a confirmed doper who has been stripped of titles and victories.
Despite all of these caveats, I must admit my patriotism and a bit of a dislike for Contador’s manner made me an arch-cynic in his case.
It’s so easy for that national pride to have one spouting that he couldn’t have produced that time trial performance in 2007 without some help. It was easy to point to his absence in 2008 as evidence of something not quite right. Though despite all this, my suspicions and those of so many others were not quite definitive, never rising above circumstantial intriguing.
After last year’s tour however, for many it must have fallen into place. He was a shadow of the Adonis of previous tours. Something was clearly missing, and there were plenty of wits and cynics ready to jump in and state what they thought it was. For the sake of cycling’s purity I hoped I was wrong about Contador.
Last year, I was left with barely a scrap of doubt.
So this, in my view, is the most crucial year of Alberto Contador’s career. Not just because it will likely see the conclusion of his battle to retain his previous victories, but for a broader reason.
This year, in not only the Tour but every professional outing he makes, Alberto Contador will need to prove to both cycling an those who like to deride it, that he is the real deal. For the good of himself and the sport, he needs to prove that last year’s Tour was an aberration brought on not by a lack of illegal assistance but by a lack of form.
If Alberto Contador is again a shell, or if he again tests positive and this time has no alibi, he will simply be more fodder for those who seek to discredit cycling’s integrity.
jameswm
Guest
Oh sure. You buy the contaminated meat story?
ravinder
Guest
tObviously the giro (won like nobody has won a grand tour in many years) had it's effect on the tour. (he thouhgt he might not be playing) He was not in perfect shape and it turned out to be a crash marred tour, in which he fell on his knee several times badly injuring it. Remember a twitter pic with a acupuncured swollen knee... The fact that he did not defend his title in 2008 was a blow for him, but it had nothing to do with him personally and it was something the tour organization was also not happy about. His team was banned due to basicly another rider. Someone contador demanded not to be in his team in later years. Btw, he won the giro and the vuelta (2!) in 2008. With you patriotism you probably think only the french tour counts, you are probably told so by fox network, but actually although the most prestigous it's often the most boring less tough and predictable parcours. And the spanish dopingscandal a few years back has also been mentioned. He could not be tied to it with dna or money or witnesses. All that is left are unsubstantial rumours. (he is not the only one for example with the first letters a.c. Which is all of the so called evidence) Then there's the current case involving minute traces of clenbuterol. Nowadays we can trace the most minute things in our bodies and we know the most unexpected stuff enters our bodied. The current case at the cas basicly is about how the dopingslist is outdated by the latest scientific knowledge. And the uci and wada know it, that's why things are taking so long...
jameswm
Guest
Rob Wright and curleyman have to be the same person. One post is a paraphrase of the other - and done at 4am! I don't see how you can wish him so well if he is found to be a drug cheat. If you are, I hope you cop what's coming to you Alberto, and I hope it's ridicule and a lengthy suspension.
Robert
Guest
Allow me to correct myself. Contador finished last year's TDF 1'27' behind Frank Schleck but 2'23" behind Andy Schleck. Regardless he would have finished ahead of them for sure. and before anybody starts predicting this year's podium at the Tour make sure you take a good look at the profile. It's definitely not a climber's Tour this year. Two time trials and a prologue and not many mountain top finishes. AC and Evans will be up there for sure, but I can't see the Schlecks finish in the top 5. Anyway we'll see. But Andy will find a way to complain that the tour wasn't handed to him on a silver platter like he seems to do every year.
Robert
Guest
Seriously, as a few mentioned, how can there be no mention of his Giro d'Italia win last year and its effects on his Tour form for 2011? The degree of difficulty of last year's Giro was almost unprecedented in any Tour, Giro or Vuelta. As much if not more vertical ascent as we had seen in any Grand Tour in quite a while. The way he dominated last year's Giro, in a manner and by a margin, 6 minutes 10 seconds, that even he hadn't achieved in all his Grand Tour wins. And for him to even show up at the TDF last year, deal with all his accidents, that were his doing or just a victim of circumstances, and finish third in the last ITT and end up in fifth place 1'27 behind Andy Schleck is actually quite impressive. If he had showed up fresh at last year's Tour no one, even Evans would have stood a chance. Whoever wrote this article, the cycling season doesn't start and end in July.
The GrannyRing
Guest
I totally agree with you! Looks like Mr. Campbell missed the 2011 Giro or, alternatively, chose to ignore the results as it would debunk his theory that Contador relied on drugs to win the Tour de France. Campbell's bias has more to do with his "patriotism and disilike for Contador's manner" than any thoughtful analysis of the facts.
Rob Wright
Guest
Last year's Giro d'Italia was extremely hard, and Contador managed a fine win. The Tour stated very badly for him, something he never quite recovered from. Also, the question of his future hung over him like a black cloud. All these factors combined to make Contador's Tour almost impossible. Bearing this in mind, his result was pretty impressive. I hope he is able to contest this year's Tour, and that he is back on top form. Good luck Alberto. Curleyman
curleyman
Guest
The 2011 Giro d'Italia which Contador won convincingly was incredibly tough, and must have left him drained. Let's not forget too, Contador's spate of bad luck early in the 2011 Tour. Also, he had a lot hanging over him, as he still does. Bearing all this in mind, I think he rode a pretty good and brave Tour, and should he ride the Tour this year, will be out to prove his enormous class. Please get a move on and let him know his future. Good luck Alberto.
pound
Guest
"no comment. who really knows" WHAT! talk about willful ignorance - not the best approach for getting to the bottom of things.
pound
Guest
NICE! totally agree LA is waaaaayy worse than landis, at least landis respects himself and others enough to come clean. sure the pathe was loopy but at least he did the right thing.
Abby
Guest
Have to agree. AC is not the same rider because there is no drug enhancement. It was good to see him ride clean and yes he is just another great rider in the peleton
jameswm
Guest
Giro Schmiro, it's obvious Contador is a drug cheat. How much being clean or doing the Giro beforehand took out of him, we'll never know. I still cling to my belief that Evans is clean, though.
jameswm
Guest
The fact that on a drug-related topic you cite Armstrong as someone who achieved, really says it all. There's been that much mud thrown at Armstrong that he's like Arnie in Predator.
DJ
Guest
And his 'absence in 2008' was due to Astana not being invited to the TdF in that year, hence Contador rode in the Giro and Vuelta in 2008 (winning both).
Pima
Guest
Have you ever heard of the Giro d'Italia?
B Drain
Guest
Contador is a cheat in my opinion. This appeared obvious following Operation Puerto. His various excuses are scarcely believable and it is only the Spanish authorities collusion and desire to bask in nationalistic glory that has prevented him thus far from being banned for life and having his TDF titles taken away.
Martin
Guest
Really badly written article as Sean has already pointed out doesnt even mention the fact he won a ridiculously hard giro beforehand. The fact the giro wasnt considered tells me the author does not know a great deal about cycling only the tour. No rider in recent history rode well in tdf after winning the giro plus it was one of the hardest GTs in living memory and if he had watched the giro he would have seen AC was in the kind of form he remembered from previous years quite simply AC was wasted at the tdf which proves he is human if he turned up and won the tdf easily after the giro serious questions would have to be asked. Dont know if he is guilty or not but if you want to discredit him or create doubt at least display some knowledge on the sport.
Kevin
Guest
So competing in both the Giro and the Tour doesn't make any difference to Tour form? Can't believe there is no mention of this fact anywhere in the article!
Jamie
Guest
The Tour is a long hard race and you need a bit of luck. Remember Contador got stuck behind a crash and lost significant time. He was also very tired from smashing everyone in the Giro (showing his dominance again here). So he was off his best for the TDF and didnt have the best of luck. By comparison, Armstrong was a miracle worker at avoiding incidences and focused all his form on the TDF. He didnt do the Giro to keep his energy for France. So i wouldnt read too much into last year. I think he is still very dominiant and this year it will be interesting to see how he goes. I has the acceleration to burn off Cadel on the climbs. Regarding his personality I dont warm to him either. Interesting Porte spoke highly of him and also his training and climbing ability. Is obviously some thing there. Remember everyone hated Cadel before he won a World Championship and the TDF too. Perception is fickle. Re drugs - no comment. Who really knows
Sean
Guest
The only reason Contador lost was because he did the Giro in the lead up to the Tour... You will see the real Contador turn up this year...