The Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double. History says it’s extremely difficult to win both in the same year, with only seven riders able to claim that honour
The last time it happened was in 1998, when Marco Pantani conquered the climbs in an enthralling, albeit literally unbelievable display of riding.
Before that Miguel Indurain (1992 and 1993), Stephen Roche (1987), Bernard Hinault (1982 and ’85), Eddy Merckx (1970, ’72 and ’74), Jacques Anquetil (1964), and Fausto Coppi (1949 and ’52) found a way to do it. A total of 12 wins.
Not a big list by any means and since Pantani, no one has come close, because hardly anyone has tried.
Lance Armstrong was never interested, and neither were Floyd Landis or Carlos Sastre.
Two years ago Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro and said he felt even better going into the Tour. A crash ended his hopes inside the first week.
Twelve months later Bradley Wiggins bullishly targeted Giro success and back-to-back Tour victories but ended up withdrawing from the Giro, and not even being selected for the three weeks in July.
Cadel Evans rode both races in 2013 but he used the Giro more for training for the Tour. The encouraging third place in May didn’t translate to a good result in July though, and Cadel’s Tour career ended dismally in 39th position.
So what makes Alberto Contador think he can become just the eighth rider to do the double? Well, he did come close three years ago.
In 2011, Contador won the Giro by 6:10 from Michele Scarponi. Five weeks after his Giro conquest, Contador turned up in France, but just couldn’t sustain a challenge and faded to finish fifth, 3:57 behind Cadel Evans.
Of course he later lost both these results because of his positive test for Clenbuterol.
This year he looked good in July before crashing out on Stage 10, before keeping a chokehold on Chris Froome and the other challengers at the Vuelta.
That said, the Vuelta isn’t the Giro.
Vincenzo Nibali has also reportedly hinted at having a crack in May and July, which would make it some kind of showdown. I hope we see it, in both races, because it will mean some sensational racing.
It will also certainly motivate Contador to prepare properly for the challenge as it will Nibali.
If that does happen, then the Giro will be compulsive viewing, and I can imagine the duo both being on the podium as they slug it out for three weeks.
Assuming nothing untoward happens in May, both riders will front up in Utrecht for the Grand Depart on July 4, but deep down how good will their condition be?
Will their battle in May have taken too much out of them?
Even if they are just five per cent under their peak, will they still be good enough to stop the host of other riders who are likely to miss the Giro in order to prepare properly for July?
Nairo Quintana, for one, is expected to ignore his title defence in May to be as strong as possible for le Tour.
The Colombian may be young and vastly inexperienced compared to Contador, but there’s no way the Spaniard can afford to give him such an advantage in the fatigue stakes.
As much as it would be amazing to witness, and if anyone can Alberto can, even in this much more apparently cleaner era of pro cycling, the Giro-Tour double seems a mission too far.
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