Defending champion Alberto Contador conceded five seconds to his big rival Lance Armstrong today, but said afterwards that he isn’t worried about the difference.
He finished sixth in the 8.9 kilometre Rotterdam prologue, dropping 27 seconds to the winner Fabian Cancellara. The result is not as good as his second place last year, but given his light weight and the flat course, comparisons are deceptive. Last year’s TT in Monaco included a tough climb and was thus more favourable to his abilities.
“I'm happy with the outcome," he said, having said beforehand that he expected to lose a little time. “It is true that I failed to settle into the rhythm that I like, but I’m happy with the prologue. I am in front of practically all the favourites and have gained a few seconds.”
In fact, he was pleased with the time gained over some, with last year’s runner-up Andy Schleck conceding the greatest amount. The Luxembourg rider finished a 42 seconds slower than the Astana rider, a considerable amount over the 8.9 kilometres.
Contador indicated that he was surprised at that. “Although the distance was short, there were some people who lost a lot of time.”
The Spaniard said that his biggest priority was to get through the course safely, with the need to avoid crashes being the most pressing of all. “I could not risk it – it is better to lose a few seconds than to risk a fall,” he said.
For that reason, he isn’t likely to lose any sleep over the five second advantage Armstrong opened up. “These results do not change the race,” he said, mindful perhaps that he is a full ten kilos lighter than the Texan and thus likely to have less power on a flat course. “The differences are minor and I don’t have to give them a greater importance.”
Contador will be more concerned about ensuring he doesn’t lose any time in the days ahead. Tomorrow’s stage is flat but could see the peloton split in crosswinds, while Tuesday’s leg includes several dangerous cobblestone sections. It’s virtually guaranteed that Armstrong and his RadioShack team will try something there, and so Contador and his Astana riders will have to be ready to contain the attacks.