Post-stage embrace on the Tourmalet was staged by Contador, says Leopard Trek rider
Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) was gutted after losing last year’s Tour de France and contrary to the image portrayed during the race, he and Alberto Contador are not close friends, the Luxembourger told l’Equipe. Schleck lost the race by 39 seconds, which ironically was the exact amount of time he lost in “Chaingate”, where he dropped his chain on the climb of the Port de Balès and was left behind on the way to the stage finish in Bagnères-de-Luchon.
“I was not physically tired,” said the 25-year-old, “but I was gutted, mentally exhausted and very disappointed. I needed to isolate myself, to put some distance between myself and people.
"Without that incident, he never would have dropped me," he explained. "Would I have dropped him [if my chain had not come off]? I don't know but it was possible. I have regrets."
During the three week race Contador and Schleck seemed locked together; the only times the two could be separated on the road, without some kind of technical or other kind of incident, were the 10 seconds that Schleck gained on the stage to Morzine-Avoriaz and the same amount that was taken back by Contador on the stage to Mende.
Contador also took 1’13” out of Schleck in the race’s two time trials; much less than would have been expected.
On the stage to Arenberg Port du Hainaut, Contador was caught behind some of the incidents and splits in the peloton caused by the sectors of Paris-Roubaix cobbles that the course traversed. In a race of coincidences, he lost 1’13” to Schleck, who was towed across the stones by double Enfer du Nord winning teammate Fabian Cancellara.
Because of the coincidental cancelling out of each other’s advantages during the race, the eventual result turned out to be decided by those 39 “Chaingate” seconds.
It was not only on time that the leading riders in the race appeared to be inseparable though, as both gave the impression that the battle for yellow was being waged by two close friends. This was not actually the case, Schleck now says, he and Contador are actually not that close.
The image that seemed to reinforce the apparent friendship between the two riders was the on-bike embrace having crossed the line at the top of the Col du Tourmalet on stage 17. Schleck had repeatedly tried to escape Contador on the climb to the finish, and the impression was that of two friends conceding a hard fought result.
This was not actually the case, Schleck now says.
“It was Contador who put his arm on my shoulder,” Schleck told l’Equipe, “I didn’t do anything. It was his way of saying ’look, we’re friends’… but he knows what I think of him.”
While Schleck may still feel “gutted” about July’s result, he may be about to feel a lot better about it. If, has been stated by Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) president Juan Carlos Castaño, Contador is to learn of the verdict over his positive test for clenbuterol this week, the Luxembouger may well be awarded the race some day anyway.