Froome is better than all of us right now, says struggling Contador
Alberto Contador's chances at a Giro/Tour double look in jeopardy after a disastrous day on stage 10 of the Tour de France
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

It always seemed grand, but now it appears over the top. Alberto Contador's wish to go from winning the Giro d'Italia to doing the same at the Tour de France, becoming only the eighth cyclist to win the double, took a major hit on stage 10's La Pierre-Saint-Martin summit finish.
Team Sky's Richie Porte and Chris Froome drove away from team Tinkoff-Saxo’s Spanish captain up the climb. At the finish line 6.8km later, with a clear view of the valley below and the mountains separating France from Spain above, Froome had piled 2-51 minutes on Contador.
Contador, though the best grand tour rider of his generation with seven wins, might have secretly given up any hope of the double on Tuesday afternoon.
"Froome is superior, and he made a strong punch today," Contador said when he rolled to a stop high, at 1,610 metres, in the Pyrenean mountains.
"I am going to go day by day, and see what we can do. To see if we can fight for the GC, or make other goals."
>>> Five talking points from stage 10 of the Tour de France
Contador looked at his best when he drilled time into his rivals with Froome on stage two on the Netherlands's wind-blown west coast. On the others stages, however, he faded at times.
Froome questioned if it was such a good idea for Contador to race the Giro d'Italia if he was serious about the Tour win.
"I'm wondering how much the Giro took out of him," Froome said.
"I really don't think it is the best preparation for the Tour. I am not going to say it is impossible, but the best way to get ready for the Tour de France, in my opinion, wouldn't include doing the Giro d'Italia. We will see how he goes, but I do have a small suspicion that the Giro has taken an edge off of him."
Italian Marco Pantani last won the Giro/Tour double in 1998. That year, however, he competed against a reduced field in the Tour after the Festina Affair broke.
Others like Fausto Coppi and Eddy Merckx also succeeded, but at the time, cycling was not as focused on peaks and races as it is in 2015.
Contador dominated the Giro and took it easy in June with only the Route du Sud, but has found fresher rivals in the Tour de France. Favourites from Froome to Nairo Quintana (Movistar) built their seasons specifically for the Tour.
Contador, who already has two wins in the Tour, explained before the race that he wanted more from his 2015 season.
"The most important thing in life, not just cycling, is motivation," he said. "Motivation is the main argument for the double. I know that if I win another Tour without the double, that's not something that can change my career."
Even if doubts of doing the double grew further today, Contador could bounce back given his unmatched experience in Grand Tours. In 2012 Vuelta a España, he caught Joaquím Rodríguez off guard in a relatively calm moment to take control for the eventual overall win.
"We saw back in 2013 Tour that Contador really taking it on in the crosswinds, taking it on in the descents, really pushing the limits on the descents," Froome said. "I think we can expect all of the above in the days ahead."
"Today, I couldn't breathe well. I tried to do the best I could, and to limit my losses," Contador added.
"That's bike racing, some days good, some days bad. Chris Froome is better than all of us right now, at a higher level. I will fight all the way to the end. Maybe he has a bad day. The fatigue will start to count."
Check out Alberto Contador's Tour de France bike
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
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Specialized's radical frame design breaks cover and it's not on the bike we expected
The distinctive 'compliance junction' feature is matched with FutureShock suspension and generous tire clearances on the Sirrus Carbon flat-bar bike
By Luke Friend • Published
-
Grab an Garmin Edge 530 discount while you still can - plus more in Amazon UK's Spring Sale
We've picked out a small - but perfectly formed - selection of the best Amazon deals right now
By Stefan Abram • Published
-
'Rough day' for Chris Froome after crash and punctures kill best chance of victory since 2018
The 37-year-old was up the road in a solo move for over 50km at the Tour du Rwanda on Thursday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Chris Froome highlights dangers of long Covid after battle with virus
Four-time Tour de France champion warns of cardiovascular impact and says his VO2 max took a hit after illness
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Chris Froome labels WorldTour relegation a ‘death sentence for many teams’
Four-time Tour de France winner says UCI points system needs overhaul as Israel-PremierTech face relegation from the WorldTour
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
Chris Froome still holds out hope for fifth Tour de France win
Israel-Premier Tech rider says the dream is "always there"
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Chris Froome out of Tour de France after positive Covid-19 test result
Four-time winner and third on Alpe d’Huez stage forced to abandon on stage 18
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
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
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'I’m going to keep pushing. I don’t know what my limits are': Chris Froome climbs to best result since 2018
Israel-Premier Tech rider finished third on stage 12 of the Tour de France to Alpe d'Huez
By Adam Becket • Published
-
La Planche des Belles Filles: will today's Tour de France climb be make or break?
Primož Roglič may be looking to salvage his Tour de France by exorcising his 2020 demons on the brutal climb
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated