Contador completes formality to capture Tour
Source: Agencies |
July 26, 2010, Monday
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ALBERTO Contador won his third Tour de France yesterday, heralding the arrival of a new cycling superstar, as seven-time champion Lance Armstrong competed in the race for the last time.
Mark Cavendish of Britain led a sprint to win the 20th and final stage - a largely ceremonial 102.5-kilometer course from Longjumeau to the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
Italian Alessandro Petacchi, the winner of two stages, finished second on the stage to secure the green jersey for the race's points competition.
Contador of Spain sealed his third title in four years by holding off a challenge from his main rival, Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, in Saturday's individual time trial. Schleck finished second, 39 seconds back, and Denis Menchov of Russia was third overall.
But Saxo Bank climbing specialist Schleck, who finished runner-up for the second straight, won the race's white jersey for the best placed rider aged 25 or under for the third successive year.
Schleck ultimately failed to overcome losing the lead to Contador on stage 15 when the Astana rider counter-attacked the Saxo Bank rider moments before he suffered a mechanical problem with his gears on the stage's final climb.
The victory kept the Spanish flag flying high on the Champs-Elysees following triumphs for Oscar Pereiro in 2006, Contador in 2007, Carlos Sastre in 2008 and Contador again last year.
Contador, 27, joins Belgian Philippe Thys (1913, 1914, 1920), France's Louison Bobet (1953 to 1955) and American Greg LeMond (1986, 1989, 1990) as a three-time winner of the epic race.
Earlier, the final stage was delayed when Armstrong's Radioshack team was forced to change out of unofficial jerseys honoring cancer patients.
The start of the stage was held up for about 15 minutes while Armstrong, who finished 23rd, and his teammates took off the black jerseys with the No. "28" on the back. The figure was selected to honor the 28 million people fighting cancer.
The International Cycling Union said the Radioshack riders had to wear their official race numbers.
Mark Cavendish of Britain led a sprint to win the 20th and final stage - a largely ceremonial 102.5-kilometer course from Longjumeau to the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
Italian Alessandro Petacchi, the winner of two stages, finished second on the stage to secure the green jersey for the race's points competition.
Contador of Spain sealed his third title in four years by holding off a challenge from his main rival, Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, in Saturday's individual time trial. Schleck finished second, 39 seconds back, and Denis Menchov of Russia was third overall.
But Saxo Bank climbing specialist Schleck, who finished runner-up for the second straight, won the race's white jersey for the best placed rider aged 25 or under for the third successive year.
Schleck ultimately failed to overcome losing the lead to Contador on stage 15 when the Astana rider counter-attacked the Saxo Bank rider moments before he suffered a mechanical problem with his gears on the stage's final climb.
The victory kept the Spanish flag flying high on the Champs-Elysees following triumphs for Oscar Pereiro in 2006, Contador in 2007, Carlos Sastre in 2008 and Contador again last year.
Contador, 27, joins Belgian Philippe Thys (1913, 1914, 1920), France's Louison Bobet (1953 to 1955) and American Greg LeMond (1986, 1989, 1990) as a three-time winner of the epic race.
Earlier, the final stage was delayed when Armstrong's Radioshack team was forced to change out of unofficial jerseys honoring cancer patients.
The start of the stage was held up for about 15 minutes while Armstrong, who finished 23rd, and his teammates took off the black jerseys with the No. "28" on the back. The figure was selected to honor the 28 million people fighting cancer.
The International Cycling Union said the Radioshack riders had to wear their official race numbers.
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