Tour de France champion Albert Contador (Astana), who won the Amstel Curaçao race yesterday, told De Telegraaf he has still not finalized his decision about which team he will race for in the upcoming year.
It looks like Contador is leaning towards staying with Astana but that is still far from certain. “Everything is possible, but I hope that soon that there is clarity,” he says.
Alberto acknowledges the fact that he needs a strong team, like this year’s second place finisher in the Tour Andy Schlek. “I do actually worry about that. I must have a strong team, so I can enter the battle with Saxo Bank, Radio Shack, Caisse, Garmin and BMC. Otherwise I’m vulnerable.”
According to Wielerflits, nothing is yet on paper. “I haven’t signed anything. Astana has changed it’s structure, but all options are still open. I have the impression that the case is moving forward. Quick-Step remains a possibility, but more I can not say. I just want a team that can assist me next year in the Tour de France,” explained the Spaniard, who earlier this week demanded an anti-doping clause in his contract, that would release him from his contract if a teammate tested positive.
“Besides Astana there are other interesting possibilities, and it helps to stay calm. One thing is certain, I will not be guided by the financial aspects, my sporting future prevails.”
Contador has no fears about the cobblestones he will encounter in the Tour’s first week, “With Discovery Channel, I have already done the cobblestones in Flanders. It was not a pleasant experience. But in view of the Tour in 2010 I will again make work out of it. Believe me, I will train a lot on the cobblestones.”
“I do not fear for the cobblestones, but respect them. In the Tour your are supposed to have respect for each stage. In that case, there is no difference between a passage in the Hell of the North and the other stages” he explains.