Alberto Contador has spoke about the after effects of what many regard as the toughest Giro d’Italia in many years, saying that he is feeling very fatigued after the race.
“This year the Giro has been extremely hard, with very long stages. It was the hardest three-week race that I’ve done. In the end, the fatigue is so great that one must think with the head not only with the heart,” he told Cadena Ser radio last night. Contador said that he’ll only ride the Tour if he feels he can contend for the yellow jersey.
“I have to wait and think with my head. Now I must recover from the effort. I climb the stairs and notice the tiredness. There is a cumulative fatigue that the body suffers. Right now it's more important to rest than to train. I want to feel that my body is off the bike, recharging batteries and turning things around,” he said.
Contador was dominant in the Giro, beating closest rivals Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) by six minutes ten seconds and six minutes 56 respectively. He’s got two considerations, now: firstly, there will be more strong contenders in the Tour, and secondly he will be heading there with one Grand Tour in his legs already, while his rivals will have the benefit of freshness. For that reason he says that he wants to make sure he’s ready.
To get the green light to do the Tour, he’s won a battle with the UCI and WADA in being able to obtain a delay in the CAS hearing. He tested positive for Clenbuterol in last year’s race, but is arguing that the substance got into his system due to the accidental ingestion of contaminated beef.
That case is ongoing, but his legal team has sought and received an extension, thus enabling him to do the Tour. However he knows it would be very embarrassing if he then lines out in France and is below par and beaten.
“If I go to the Tour, it will be to fight for victory. If I see that I am not in good condition, I will not go,” he insists.
Presuming that he will be there – and, in all likelihood, he will - he expects the rider to have most troubled him in the past two years to be his biggest obstacle to victory once again.
“In the Tour, in the end, new riders can always arrive [in contention], but right now the most likely is Andy Schleck,” he stated.
Contador acknowledged the strength of Schleck’s Leopard Trek team, but insisted that his Saxo Bank SunGard squad was also strong.
“I am very happy with my team because the support I have has been unconditional,” he said, also pointing out that his climbing domestiques will be almost the same as last year.