Tour de France 2009: Alberto Contador defends tactics despite defying team orders - by Brendan Gallagher
Yellow jersey Alberto Contador has been forced to defend his tactics in Thursday's Queen stage in the Alps when a late attack blew his Astana colleague Andrea Kloden out the back of the small lead group - the Schleck brothers Andy and Frank were the other riders - and endangered the German's chances of making the podium in Paris. Armstrong was in diplomatic mode when questioned about the tactics: "I am going to bite my tongue on that one," said Armstrong of Contador's attack, but he did question the move in his Twitter update. The American said last week that there were tensions in the team, but after losing time in Sunday's stage to Verbier he pledged his support to help Contador win his second Tour.
While Contador insists his motives for the attack were tactically sound, and that he was told he should attack by Klöden, there was speculation amongst the Tour press corps that the Spaniard does not need to make niceties with his Astana teammates because Armstrong and Bruyneel are planning a new team for 2010, with an announcement on a sponsor coming later today.
1 comment:
Yellow jersey is lucky for Alberto.
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