Alberto Contador can claim a third Tour de France title this year - if luck is on his side.
That is the view of his former teammate and close friend Ivan Basso, who has backed El Pistolero to win his eighth Grand Tour in July and go level with favourite Chris Froome as a three-time winner of La Grand Boucle.
Contador has been earmarked as one of the favourites for the Tour in each of the last five editions he has ridden, but crashed out in 2014 and 2016.
He last claimed the yellow jersey in Paris in 2010, but it was subsequently revoked for testing positive for clenbuterol. Andy Schleck was replaced as the winner.
Basso believes that if Contador goes into the race in the same condition as Froome and Nairo Quintana, and is unhampered by injury or misfortune, he is well-placed to win the Tour again.
>>> Surprise tactics will be needed to beat Froome at the Tour de France, says Romain Bardet
"Of course Contador can win the Tour," Basso, who retired at the end of the 2015 season, said.
"With Alberto I’ve never been disappointed. He's one of a kind who fights for himself, for his objectives.
"He conducts himself like Usain Bolt when he goes to a World Championships or Olympic Games.
"We're talking about the best active Grand Tour rider. His titles at the Tour, Vuelta and Giro are plain to see."
Basso was technical coordinator at Tinkoff last year, when Contador abandoned the Tour after the ninth stage. He claimed then that the Spaniard could have challenged eventual winner Froome had it not been for a series of crashes.
This year, Froome is the undoubted favourite, especially with Quintana attempting to become the first rider since 1998 to win the Giro-Tour double.
But Basso believes that Contador can not only rival Froome et al. but beat them. "The main rivals are Froome and Quintana, but Contador's fight is with himself - the fight over his own legend.
"Last year he was in form but luck wasn't with him. If he goes up against those guys in equal conditions, then it's clear he can win the Tour. I hope he doesn't have bad luck. He's 34, but he's still a unique rider."
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
British Cycling CEO says ‘fairness’ is the key driver for new transgender policy
According to Jon Dutton, ‘fairness’ key driving factor in competitive policy whereas ‘inclusivity’ the key principle in non-competitive policy
-
Cannonade’s Compact Neo e-bike: lots of style, moderate functionality, hard-to-beat price
We review Cannondale's smallest and lightest e-bike yet.
-
The dog days aren't over at the Tour de France 2022: Canine chaos AND cuteness
‘Suddenly that beast crossed the street and I couldn’t go anywhere’ - stray dog causes Yves Lampaert to crash on stage 12
-
Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel weigh in on 2009 feud with Alberto Contador
Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel have both weighed in on the 2009 feud between Armstrong and his team-mate Alberto Contador.
-
Alberto Contador says he can't see Julian Alaphilippe winning the Tour de France
The two-time Tour champion maintains that Egan Bernal will win the French Grand Tour
-
Alberto Contador says Egan Bernal is ‘clear favourite’ for the Tour de France
The multiple Grand Tour winner says the 2019 Tour will be the most open edition in years
-
Andy Schleck: ‘Alberto Contador did something he shouldn’t have done, even if he denies it’
The Luxembourger also described winning a Tour de France title on paper rather than on the bike as 'bull***t'
-
Retired Alberto Contador missing competition, but relieved to no longer be 'slave to dieting'
The Spaniard says Sky's Chris Froome and Egan Bernal can both win Grand Tours in 2019
-
Banning power meters would make racing a better spectacle, says Alberto Contador
The retired racer says riders should use power meters in training but not have that data for racing
-
Alberto Contador took the KOM on the last climb of stage 17, and only three Tour de France riders went faster on Strava
Alberto Contador took the chance to test himself against the current pros on the Col de Portet, setting a time on Strava that only three were able to beat.
