Tour de France runner-up hopes for quick resolution in the Contador case
With the news that Contador’s case will be officially taken up and moved to his national federation for a decision on whether to sanction or not, it didn’t take long for the media to get in touch with the rider who could possibly be the 2010 Tour de France winner in the not so distant future, Andy Schleck.
Dutch newssource, De Telegraaf, talked with Andy Schleck, while the three-time Best Young Rider of the Tour de France was still on vacation on the Caribbean island of Curacao.
Schleck once again hoped for a quick resolution on the matter, but said he did not have much knowledge of what’s to come in the case of Contador.
“I hope to have clarity in the matter as soon as possible. The case has now been filed with the Spanish cycling federation. It means that other people will take up the case now. I do not know what that means.”
More importantly, the rider who will head up the new Luxembourg pro cycling project with brother Frank and likely Fabian Cancellara, says that Contador will always be the winner of the 2010 Tour de France, whether his victory is rescinded or not.
“This doesn’t do it for me. My name will be perhaps in the record books, but I have not experienced the joy. I want to win the Tour on the road. For me, Contador will always remain the winner of the 2010 Tour.”
Schleck has said something to this effect in the past as well. In an interview with VeloNation earlier this season, the 25 year old climber was also not willing to admit frustration, nor cast doubt on the victor, after finishing 2nd in 2009 at the Fleche Wallonne to Davide Rebellin, who would be suspended soon after his win atop the Mur de Huy for the use of CERA-EPO at the Beijing Olympics, months previously.
“Rebellin was positive at the Olympics, sure, but on that day on the Mur, he was stronger than me. I don’t see myself as the winner. If he was positive on that day, I would maybe think like that. He was also controlled that day and didn’t test positive, so no, I see him as the winner.”
Of course, in the case of the 2010 Tour de France, Contador did in fact test positive in the race that Schleck finished second to him to, so it’s interesting to see how his philosophy on the matter still has not changed.