Spain’s controversial three-time Tour de
France winner Alberto Contador grabbed the overall lead in the Tour of
Catalonia on Wednesday after claiming the grueling third stage in an epic
finish.
Contador, who just weeks ago was cleared by the Spanish cycling federation
over his positive test in last year’s Tour de France, completed the
mountainous 189.4km race from La Vall d’en Bas in Spain to the Vallnord ski
resort in Andorra in four hours, 45 minutes and eight seconds.
The Saxo Bank rider pulled away on the final hill climb just a few
kilometres from the finish, chased by American Levi Leipheimer of Radioshack
and Italy’s Michele Scarponi of the Lampre team.
But the Spaniard held on to win by 23 seconds over Scarponi in second
followed by Leipheimer.
The win propelled him to the top of the overall standings, replacing
Latvia’s Gatis Smukulis of HTC-Highroad, with a lead of 23 seconds over
Leipheimer and Scarponi.
“I was not expecting to have such a lead,” Contador said afterwards,
“I’m very happy because it was a difficult climb. With five kilometres to
go there were still 50 riders and I knew that that was the hardest part, so I
attacked. Then Leipheimer came back, and I attacked again until I reached the
finish line.”
The 28-year-old is due to learn this week whether the International Cycling
Union intends to appeal the Spanish decision clearing him of doping.
He tested positive for a miniscule amount of the banned muscle-building
substance clenbuterol during last July’s Tour de France but the Spanish
federation accepted the rider’s claim that he had eaten drug-contaminated meat
and was not negligent.
Contador acknowledged Wednesday that it was difficult to race with the case
on his mind.
“It’s not the best conditions, but I’m focusing on myself, on my bike and
on the road, because the rest does not depend on me,” he said.
“I try to focus on the race and for the rest I have confidence in the
people around me. It’s certainly not as if nothing has happened, I know that,
but I’m handling things pretty well.”
Saxo Bank sporting director Dan Frost saluted Contador’s stage win.
“The stage win was simply the icing on the cake after a perfect team effort
on a very demanding mountain stage,” said Frost.
“First, Andre, Benjamin and Volodymir put huge pressure on the peloton in
the flat terrain and then Hernandez, then Daniel and finally Chris was pacing
the field to an extent where no one was able to follow Alberto when he made
his move on the final part of the uphill finish.
“Now, it’s going to be difficult to take the jersey away from us but we
have to work hard again in the next few days in order to bring home the
overall win.”

Stage:
1 Alberto Contador (ESP) Saxo Bank, 4hr 45min 08sec. 2. Michele Scarponi
(ITA) Lampre, 23 seconds behind. 3. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Radioshack, same
time. 4. Daniel Martin (IRE) Garmin, at 35 sec. 5. Chris Horner (USA)
Radioshack, s.t. 6. Alex Cano Ardila (COL) Cafe de Colombia s.t. 7. Ivan Basso
(ITA) Liquigas at 38 sec. 8. Rigoberto Uran (COL) Sky, s.t. 9. Xavier Tondo
(ESP) Movistar, s.t. 10. Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC, at 50 seconds.

Overall standings:
1. Alberto Contador (ESP) Saxo Bank 13hr 05min 55sec, 2. Levi Leipheimer
(USA) Radioshack, 23 seconds behind. 3. Michele Scarponi (ITA) Lampre, same
time. 4. Daniel Martin (IRE) Garmin, at 35 sec. 5. Chris Horner (USA) s.t., 6.
Rigoberto Uran (COL) at 38 sec. 7. Ivan Basso (ITA) Liquigas s.t, 8. Xavier
Tondo (ESP) Movistar, s.t. 9. Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC, at 50 sec. 10. Bauke
Mollema (NED) Rabobank, at 1 min 12 sec.

Article: AFP