It’s been a long, twisting road since Alberto Contador won the 2008 Giro d’Italia. Many kilometres, victories, battles and some questions have happened in the three years since, but he’ll hope that the outcome of this race is the same as when he triumphed last time round.
The race favourite and his team held a press conference this morning at the comfortable Saxo Bank-SunGard hotel in Alpignano, speaking to a packed room of journalists. Contador had a sombre expression at first, but gradually relaxed somewhat as the question and answer session progressed.
Speaking about his chances of becoming the first rider to do the Giro-Tour double in over a decade, both Contador and team owner Bjarne Riis accepted that the task is a different one. They each acknowledged that riding both races makes it more difficult to triumph in July, but said that it was a challenge worth trying.
“I chose the Giro because I have a very good memory from 2008,” the rider explained. “Because of that, I wanted to come back to this race. Also, I’m here because I was thinking of the possibility of doing the Tour as well, plus the three Grand Tours in same year. There were many reasons.
“I decided to come to Giro without thinking of the situation with the Tour, without thinking of any other problems. The chance to do the double is something beautiful and different to try. I will try to do the best possible in this Giro, and then in the Tour fight for the victory.”
“For sure, I know that the best preparation for the Tour is not to do the Giro, especially this year as it is so hard. But you have to find new motivation in your career and this is a good idea to do this.”
The challenge is a very big one, but Riis said that if anyone in the peloton can win the two, it is Contador. He’s got three Tours, a Giro and a Vuelta to his credit, and this is a palmares that no other rider currently competing has. Team-mate Matteo Tosatto also said that the rider is different to most, believing that he has mental and physical strength that has rarely been seen.
“Alberto has been born like a champion, and you can notice that from the beginning when you meet him,” he said. “The first race I did with him at the Volta ao Algarve and I noticed there that his determination was impressive. He was not in the best condition, but he did the maximum there.
“Throughout his whole career, he has demonstrated that he is the strongest rider. He thinks cycling 24 hours a day and that makes a different. Because of that, he is the strongest and the favourite for the race at the moment.”
Favourite status brings pressure:
Of course, being the one that others are watching makes things more difficult for Contador. He has a target on his back, and his rivals will be examining his form, his body language, his press comments; everything to try to see hints of weakness.
Before the racing starts, there is also subtle psychological warfare going on. The other contenders nominate him as the one to watch, building up his chances and thus taking the spotlight off themselves a little. “Obviously everybody tries to put the pressure on me, but that is normal,” he said, accepting that this is the way it always happens.
“I’ve had a lot of pressure during the 2009 Tour, and after. The pressure in the Tour is some ways different than in the Giro. There at the Tour, everybody expect that I win, and here at the Giro it is different for me.”
He insists that he is not obsessed with winning, saying that he wants to be first, but others need it more in terms of their careers. “I come here very motivated, I want to be here, but my intention is to take the race day by day. In my opinion, there are other riders with more pressure than me, like Nibali or Scarponi or maybe the Geox team, because the race for them is crucial. So for them, the race brings more pressure than it does to me.”
There were suggestions at the conference that perhaps his rivals could collude, that they might have pre-arranged plans to work together and blight his chances. He doesn’t accept this. “I think everyone will do their own race. In 2008 there was talk that the Italians would join up against me, that there was an agreement against me, but I think everyone will defend their interests,” he insisted.
“If I or another has a bad day, maybe they will ride together against him. It’s the same if another rival has a bad day, mavbe and I others can ride together to eliminate their rivalry.
“I remember there were the same questions in the 2008 Giro. Many people spoke about the [claimed] alliance between Ricco and Di Luca against me, but in the end it was a race like any other.
Contenders, tactics and team-mates:
Although many of the major Tour de France contenders are not taking part, Contador will be up a solid list of potential winners. He believes that one stands out, namely the 2010 Vuelta a España winner.
“In the past year, Nibali has been very consistent in the big Tours. Consistency is very important for this race. He did a very good 2009 Tour – he finished in the top ten, and he did a very good stage in Mont Ventoux. Then last year he finished third in the Giro working for Basso. After that, he won at the Vuelta without knowing the parcours well, by showing very good consistency.
“Because of that, Nibali is probably the most dangerous rival. He is very well prepared this year and his team is very motivated. As you might think for Italian riders, the Giro is really special. If you are not Italian, it is very hard to understand that feeling.”
The style of racing in the Giro is all guns blazing. The nature of the country’s terrain and the organisers’s preference means that the big mountains can come early on; while the first week of the Tour de France is often one for the sprinters, the Giro can see major action take place early on. It’s a battle that rages throughout the three weeks.
Contador was asked a football-related question, with a journalist contrasting the playing styles of two big Spanish teams. He was asked if he would play like Barcelona, attacking, taking risks, or play things more carefully like Real Madrid, even if that means the victory could be less spectacular. His response was that he would try to measure his energy carefully when required, but that it was impossible to hold back in a race as tough as the Giro.
“Without doubt, the final objective is to fight for the race, to aim for victory in Milan,” he said. “I know that it is very, very difficult to win [a Grand Tour], especially in this race. But anyway, with this route, a spectacle is sure, it is guaranteed. There is no way to avoid it. I think we can have both, to have the spectacle and also to do things like Real Madrid. Real Madrid do some good matches sometimes, even if maybe Barca is more regular. I’m thinking of the spectacle, but also of the final victory.”
A big part of using energy wisely is being supported by his team. Riis emphasised what he said was the very good physical condition of the riders, but also said that those chosen were highly motivated. It is mental as well as physical aspects which he deems important for this Giro; he wants people who will fight hard to make sure that Contador has the best chance possible to top the podium in three weeks’ time.
One of those who was chosen at the last moment was Richie Porte. The Australian was one of the stars of last year’s race, leading it for a while and ultimately ending up seventh overall and the winner of the best young rider award. He had been due to do the Tour of California instead, but was drafted into the squad. Contador gave the thumbs up to the decision.
“For me, the fact that Richie Porte comes to this team at the last moment is fantastic news, because he can give a lot of things to this team from the very start,” he said. “He’ll be good in the team time trial, and also has a very good quality in the mountains. His role will be mainly to help me during the whole race…but Richie will have his own opportunities too.”
The final outcome of the race will depend on what happens over the next three weeks, but so too what happens at the Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing in June. Contador’s case will be decided then, and if the UCI and WADA win the appeal against the RFEC clearing of the rider, his Giro results will be struck off. He’s going to race hard in the meantime, hoping that he takes the Maglia Rosa to the end, and that he wins a second victory in June to keep it.
Contador was asked why he was able to race the Giro if other riders such as Alessandro Ballan, Mauro Santambrogio and Marzio Brushegin were not at the start due to their investigation. He insisted that comparisons were not valid.
“I don’t know totally the situation of those riders you mention, but anyway my situation is totally different,” he said. “I have been declared clear of anything [by the RFEC], and I hope in future they [CAS] will say the same. You cannot make any comparison between these cases and mine.”
For the duration of the Giro, Contador wants to forget about that issue. He’s taken five Grand Tours thus far and is concentrating everything on netting a sixth; the challenge is a considerable one and that’s what he is focusing on now.