With no team time trial, just one individual race against the clock and 23 mountains classified as either HC, category 1 or category 2, defending Tour champion Alberto Contador has expressed his satisfaction with the 2010 Tour de France. The route was unveiled in Paris today by organisers ASO, and the Spaniard gave his reaction afterwards.
"I like the course", he stated. “It will be more for climbers than for time-trialists.
“This edition will be harder than the Tour 2009 and therefore it will be better for me. Of course, you never know because just when you think something, it can be otherwise."
Aside from his rivals, perhaps the biggest obstacle to what would be a third Tour victory are the 13.2 kilometres of cobbles which will feature on the third stage from Wanze to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut. These appear on seven sectors of pave during the flat, 207 kilometre stage.
The race begins with an eight kilometre prologue in Rotterdam on July 3rd and follows a fairly flat first seven stages. Contador knows he has to be very vigilant prior to the start of the mountains.
“It will be a very difficult race to control in the first week,” he said. “The cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix will be particularly difficult, but I don’t give it too much importance. The most important thing will be not to fall, and also that it does not rain there".
The 2010 Tour features six high mountain stages, with Alpine legs to Morzine and Saint Jean de Maurienne being followed by a quartet of days in the Pyrennean, namely to Ax 3 Domaines, Bagnères-de-Luchon, Pau and the Col du Tourmalet.
“The Alps will be much smoother, while the hardest days are reserved for the Pyrenees. That’s especially the case with the double passage over the Tourmalet, including one day where it will be the finish. I have to go to see the climbs in person to know them better".
The Spaniard’s strongest card is undoubtedly his climbing ability, but in winning the final time trial in this year’s race, he proved that he no longer has any fears against the clock. As a result of that, he said that he’d actually prefer two have two long solo efforts. “Ideally, I’d like about ten kilometers less in the last time trial and, in return, I would prefer a second 20 or 30 km time trial.”