Alberto Contador showed in stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia that he is not only the race's dominator, but that he is also looking out for his friends in the peloton. Contador stormed away from his overall rivals in the final kilometers, then joined lone breakaway rider Paolo Tiralongo. Contador pulled for Tiralongo but let the Italian pass first over the finish line in Macugnaga.
Contador insisted that his move had nothing to do with today's stage. "I had good legs and I saw that I could get some time on my rivals," Contador said in the press conference following the race. He added that the weather made the race hard, giving him an opportunity to take out another few seconds from his main rivals.
The Spaniard explained why he didn't do a Merckx-like maneuver, where he would take the win. "The friendship with Tiralongo is incredible. Last year he was working for me all year long. In the Tour de France he did an incredible job to help me win." Contador was happy to give something back. "The feeling I had in my heart and in my body were very strong. I am very content with his victory."
Contador had to smile about the question if he had a personal problem with Joaquin Rodriguez, after he countered his move. "On Zoncolan, it was not Rodriguez, but Igor Anton I went after. Today, Tiralongo was well ahead of Rodriguez. So no, I don't have a problem with Rodriguez," Contador said.
Contador would have been able to pass Tiralongo and win the stage. But he didn't want to call it a present. "He took this victory because he was strong, because he suffered for it and because he went from far out. I absolutely didn't make him a present. I had enough to do defending my jersey."
Contador was happy to ride alongside Tiralongo last year on the Astana team. "I had a good feeling right away and he did work very hard."
Asked if he would be trying to win in Sestriere on Saturday, the Saxo Bank man was quite clear about it. "No, the most important is to defend this jersey," he said, pointing to the maglia rosa he was wearing. "I want to arrive at the time trial rested." He tipped some other mountain goats as contenders for the day's win. "Scarponi or Rujano are going quite well. For me I just want to have the maglia rosa in Milano."