Posted on 07/27/2009 2:50:12 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA
(CNN) -- Tour de France winner Alberto Contador has launched a stinging attack on Astana teammate Lance Armstrong after returning as a hero to his native town of Pinto near Madrid.
Lance Armstrong (right) looks on after Alberto Contador is handed the Tour de France trophy in Paris.
Contador told a news conference that relations between the two riders were tense throughout the race, making the atmosphere very difficult for the team as a whole.
Although not giving specific reasons why, Contador admitted the situation has affected his relationship with the American.
"My relationship with Lance Armstrong is non-existent. Even if he is a great champion, I have never had admiration for him and I never will," the 26-year-old Spaniard admitted.
"It was a delicate situation, very tense, the two riders who had most weight on the team did not have an easy relationship and that puts the rest of the technical staff and the riders in an uncomfortable position," he added.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Lance was in the tour?
Lance lost?
Actually, how do you say wuss in spanish.
It takes a Man to give respect to your competitor.
It takes a wimp to act like a petulant child.
didn't make me a fan with that move.
Contador puts out pretty good hype to build up a long term rivalry with Armstrong. It will get the interest going for their next matchup. I like the way he takes it to Armstrong...sounds like a warrior to me. This is good for the sport!
Like I said...let’s see if he wins six in a row.
Johan Bruyneel picked Contador to build a team around - Then Lance decides to come out of retirement and will only ride on Bruyneel’s team. Hmmm. Contadore beats Lance by more than 5 min. Hmmm. Contadoe wins two of the last three TDF’s - having not been invited last year because his teamate doped. Hmmm. Who deserves the respect here and who hasn’t given any?
I am a big TDF follower. Contador is a very strong rider. He showed it this year. The psychological warefare between he and Armstrong was as intense as the riding. His comments are just the fallout.
In Alberto’s defense, he was slated to be the Alpha dog for his team prior to Lance joining. So there was a power struggle right off the bat. Eventually Contador showed he was the stronger rider, and Lance gracefully praised him and promised to be his wingman for the good of the team.
But...Lance continued to get under his skin. His post-ride Tweets were often used to raise questions about Alberto’s strategy and loyalty to the team. The day Contador essentially sealed the deal, Lance upstaged him by announcing that he was forming his own team next year.
So it has been tit for tat. Lance said yesterday that Contador would have beaten him in his prime. BS. I believe that is more psychological warefare.
It will be quite a showdown next year. For Lance to roll in after 4 years and finish third is very impressive. Though he couldn’t keep up with the much younger Contador on the Alps climbs, he rode stride for stride with him for the Tour’s last mountain stage, sending a message that he will be ready for 2010. And he mended a lot of fences with other riders this year with his display as a devoted teammate. The French still hate him, but they can go choke on their snails.
Next year’s Tour will be very exciting.
That's the Old Country. More genteel, lol! In tex-mex we'd probably call him a pendejo.
I too heard he had an affair. I'm not sure if Crow was the other woman, but he did clearly date her at some time, along with a bevy of other Hollywood and New York starlets and socialites.
Johan Bruyneel picked Contador to build a team around - Then Lance decides to come out of retirement and will only ride on Bruyneel’s team.
Please, name ONE TIME when Armstrong EVER respected a competitor? And “acting like a petulant child” is exactly what he did on half of this tour when it was obvious that Contador was a stronger climber and competitor than him. Armstrong used to chant to opposing riders “who’s gonna be my bitch today?” when he passed them. He left his wife and then told Crow that he wanted to break off their engagement because she wanted kids and he didn’t. He then turned around and got his 20-something new girlfriend pregnant. A GREAT cyclist, but a class-act, Armstrong never was. And no, I don’t believe the doping rumors, so don’t accuse me of advocating that by pointing out his flaws.
If this situation were reversed, of course, Armstrong would be “racist”.
A word of advice to Contador - “Don’t focus the redeye on Lance too long or too close. Some other young hot rider may just get past you.”
Contador could very well eclipse Armstrong's record for wins; he's that good.
The rivalry will be between Contador and Andy Schleck.
Two out of the last three is very good and not to be scoffed at...but get back to me when he's six for six if he wants to stand on this disrespect of Armstrong thing.
>>I too heard he had an affair. I’m not sure if Crow was the other woman, but he did clearly date her at some time, along with a bevy of other Hollywood and New York starlets and socialites.<<
Apparently one is enough...
Read this story about how basically the entire team was against Contador going into the tour and then put his win in perspective: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/31834286/ns/sports-tour_de_france/
And, yes, the selection of support riders was ENTIRELY the work of Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel.
Lance and Contador never went against each other - so Lance did not match him stride for stride. Contador was covering Schleck - that is all. Contador covered every move Schleck made and never fell back - not once. Contador could have rode away from Schleck if he wanted to - but there was no reason to do that.
Lance couldn't cover Schleck. Next year will be no different. Nobody can climb with Contador.
Pero yo se lo que significa pendejo.
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