Three-time Tour de France champion: “What I want now is rest.”
After finishing a comfortable 31 seconds in front of arch-rival Andy Schleck in Bordeaux, the tears of happiness and relief flowed from the soon to be five-time Grand Tour winner, Alberto Contador.
The native of Pinto can now count three Tours de France, a Vuelta, and a Giro to his palmares. There was speculation earlier this year, however, that Contador would go for a second Vuelta title in September.
Following the rigors, suffering, and drama of this year’s Tour de France though, Contador admits it was not an easy three weeks.
“This Tour has been very difficult all the way until the end. I trained hard all year, and I stayed focused until the last moment. This is the first Tour that gives me so much emotion. You cannot imagine how I feel.”
For the moment, the simply tired Contador isn’t looking too far past tomorrow’s stage into Paris. The hope of a second Grand Tour in 2010 looks unlikely though considering just how arduous this year’s Grand Boucle proved to be.
“What I want now is rest. I will talk to the director of my team. The more likely scenario, however, is that I will probably not participate [in the Vuelta].”
While the winner of all three Grand Tours looks doubtful to start in his homeland’s Grand Tour in a a month’s time, he did leave the door open to go for two Grand Tours in 2011 – he didn’t specify whether it would be the Giro or the Vuelta though.