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First Edition Cycling News, Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Date published:: June 1, 2010, 20:00

Pirazzi rode Giro with broken wrist bone
Article published:
June 1, 2010, 09:02
By:
Cycling News
Colnago rider suffered fracture in eighth stage crash
Stefano Pirazzi of Colnago- CSF Inox rode most of the Giro d'Italia with a broken bone in his wrist.

The Italian, who was very active in the mountain stages, had crashed on the eighth stage, injuring both his left shoulder and right wrist.

“In hospital they told me I was crazy to finish the Giro d'Italia in this condition. The team doctor said I had a possible fracture,” the 23-year-old said on the team website. “But my legs felt good and I wanted to finish the Giro.”

Pirazzi will wear a cast on his wrist for 30 days but can start training on the rollers again soon.
Vande Velde - The Bionic Man
Article published:
June 1, 2010, 09:55
By:
Daniel Benson
American's recovery on track after surgery
Nearly three weeks after crashing out of the Giro d'Italia, Christian Vande Velde is back on the bike and searching for form in the Spanish Pyrenees.

The Garmin-Tranisitions' Tour leader broke his collarbone in the third stage of the Giro (pictured right) - the sixth occasion he's suffered that injury in his career - but he has spent the last six days training at altitude in Spain. He'll remain there until June 9, before starting the Tour de Suisse two days later.

"It's going well and it's good to be up in the mountains riding my bike," Vande Velde told Cyclingnews from his training base near Andorra.

"I have a soigneur with me and Matt Wilson comes out soon. I'm just trying to recruit as many people as possible, and then my family are coming up too."

Vande Velde's Giro crash mirrored last season's events when he crashed out of the race but with far more serious injuries. That year he sustained three fractured vertebrae, a cracked pelvis in addition to the two broken ribs, meaning that this year's recovery period has been much shorter and far less painful.

"With a collarbone break you don't have to take any real time off - it's just for mental wellbeing - but I was on the trainer after two days."

"But when I crashed I just wanted to crawl up into a ball and go away. I had my days when I was down but you just pick yourself up and dust yourself down. There's no reason crying about it."

Vande Velde's collarbone surgery was carried out in Belgium and he now has matching metal plates in each shoulder, something he joked about with his friends and family. "I'm bionic now, right?" he asks.

"Overall I can't complain about the recovery. It's going really well and I've been doing five hour rides," he explained.

Still, without hard racing in his legs from the Giro, Vande Velde is aware that his training programme has been about making the best of a bad situation; the pressure isn't telling in the American's attitude, however.

"You can't simulate the Giro in training. You do that and you're going to kill yourself. I've got a different plan now and I'm training really well here. I've got way more fitness than last year. Last year I rode the Tour of Suisse with just two weeks of training in my legs. I couldn't even ride up my driveway at one point because of the pain."

The inevitable question therefore is how well will Vande Velde do in the Tour come July. Having finished fourth in 2008 and eighth the following year, the team will be looking for him to compete amongst the best.

"My goal is to do my personal best. Has my preparation been hindered? Yes. But by how much I don't know. I got top ten last year and I was in a much worse place than I am now.

"I'm just going to do my best. I'm not doing anything earth shattering in training but each day I'm getting a little bit better."
Lefevere takes mechanical doping seriously
Article published:
June 1, 2010, 10:30
By:
Cycling News
Cancellara dismisses the rumours
Fabian Cancellara has denied using a motor in his bike during the Spring Classics, while Quick Step manager Patrick Lefevere thinks the possibility of motorized doping within the peloton could be a reality.

Last month the International Cycling Union (UCI) denied that such “mechanical doping” existed, but confirmed that they were investigating the issue. The theory is that small motors could be hidden inside the bike tubes, giving riders an unfair advantage.

Most recently, Italian journalist Davide Cassani tested such a bike and told Het Nieuwsblad, “Now I could ride and win the Giro. Even though I'm 50 years old.”

Most attention has been paid to Saxo Bank's Fabian Cancellara, whose impressive showings of strength saw him ride away alone in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix this spring. The Swiss rider laughed the story off. “I've already heard that. Rest assured, my achievements are the result of hard work."

Patrick Lefevere, Quick Step team manager, took the possibility of “bike doping” seriously, but was careful to point out, “I don't accuse anyone.”

Unlike Cassani's comments he hadn't brushed it off so lightly. “Laugh? No, I do not laugh about it. It's too serious to laugh. That movie made me suspicious.”

"For a long time I also belonged to the non-believers, now I begin to doubt gradually," he said "Watch out. For me, everyone is innocent until proven otherwise. I do not participate in gossip, and I try not to be paranoid but now that I have seem the movie of Cassani, I see why the UCI is examining the matter thoroughly."

"It would be worse than doping,” Lefevere said. “Even pure theft.”
Spanish commentators critical of Valverde’s ban
Article published:
June 1, 2010, 12:29
By:
Peter Cossins
Critics round on CAS decision
Reaction to the two-year ban imposed on Alejandro Valverde by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been generally supportive of the Caisse d’Epargne rider. In line with his team’s description of the ban as “unjust and incoherent”, commentators have questioned the severity of the sanction, pointing that Valverde has already missed the opportunity to ride the Giro and Tour in 2009, and cannot now consider competing in either until 2012. He has effectively been banned for three years, they say.

Writing in El País, renowned cycling journalist Carlos Arribas pointed out that “no cyclist implicated in Operation Puerto has received a sanction as harsh as this”. Referring to the UCI’s decision to strip Valverde of the results he’s gained this year, Arribas commented, “Ivan Basso wasn’t stripped of the 2006 Giro title which was won while the Operation Puerto investigation was under way”. Arribas added that “no other Spanish rider of the dozens said to be implicated has been sanctioned and neither the UCI nor the World Anti-Doping Agency has requested that action be taken against them.”

El Mundo cycling correspondent Pablo de la Calle commented that what had already been a long-running case was further extended by an “absolute” desire to avoid a clash with the Giro. “The Giro’s organisers have a close relationship with the CONI [Italian Olympic Committee], and they couldn’t allow the CAS’s verdict to replace the action taking place at the race as the principal focus of attention,” De La Calle wrote.

There was further criticism of the length of the whole procedure from Spanish cycling federation lawyer Jorge Ibarrola. With Valverde facing payment of costs amounting to about €80,000, Ibarrola said: “Without the delays being any fault of his own, Valverde is having to pay for the consequences of the slowness and delays in the whole procedure, and has also received a bigger sanction than he would have had for a positive test.”

There was criticism too from Spanish cycling federation president Juan Carlos Castaño, although his comments were aimed in a different direction. After stating his “respect and compliance” with the verdict of the CAS, Castaño voiced his unhappiness that the federation was not able to assess the case against Valverde in the first place.

“The decision should have been the Spanish federation’s to take in line with precedents established in Spain and also in line with Spanish law. We asked the judge overseeing the Puerto investigation to release evidence so that we could start proceedings, but we received a negative response,” said Castaño.

Unable to assess whether Valverde was guilty or not, the Spanish federation became no more than an onlooker as firstly the Italian Olympic Committee and the then the UCI and WADA took action against the Spanish rider.
Armstrong confirmed for Tour de Suisse
Article published:
June 1, 2010, 14:39
By:
Cycling News
First time back since winning in 2001
Lance Armstrong is confirmed to ride the Tour de Suisse, the race organisers have announced. It will be the first time the RadioShack rider has ridden the race since winning it in 2001.

The Tour de Suisse runs over nine stages from June 12 to 20, for a total of 1353.1 kilometres.

The 38-year-old will use the race as a final preparation for the Tour de France, which starts in the Netherlands on July 3. His last race was the Tour of California, which he had to abandon after a crash. He is scheduled to ride the Tour of Luxembourg, starting Wednesday.

"Lance is a big star and it is important to have him in the starting line-up," said race spokesman Rolf Huser.

Armstrong will face strong competition at the race, particularly from Team Saxo Bank. The Danish team is sending not only defending champion Fabian Cancellara but also brothers Andy and Fränk Schleck, who last year finished second and fifth in the Tour de France.

"It's going to be interesting to see the difference between Fabian and Lance," said Huser, who is also Cancellara's agent. "There is the new generation and one of the biggest riders that cycling has."

In addition, the race announced that it has issued its final wildcard invitation to the Dutch Professional Continental team Vacansoleil.

Katusha moves to top spot in UCI world rankings

Article published:: June 1, 2010, 15:29

By:: Cycling News

Rankings revised after Valverde disqualification

The disqualification of Alejandro Valverde from the UCI's world rankings dropped his Caisse d'Epargne squad from the top of the team rankings down into ninth. The points gained by Joaquin Rodriguez from the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco were enough to move the tiny Katusha rider into third in the individual rankings and push his team to the top of the standings.

Valverde was removed from the standings after being handed a two-year ban, back-dated to January 1, 2010, by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. His win in the Tour de Romandie, second overall in Pais Vasco and Paris-Nice and a third place in Liège - Bastogne - Liège were among the results taken away from the Spaniard.

Rodriguez, fourth overall in the Basque tour, was promoted to third after Valverde was removed from the runner-up spot. He now sits third in the individual rankings behind new leader Cadel Evans (BMC) and Omega Pharma-Lotto's Philippe Gilbert.

Spain still leads the nations rankings despite the loss of Valverde's 392 points.

Revised rankings as of June 1, 2010

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	384	pts
2	Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	304
3	Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha	288
4	Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	232
5	Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step	216
6	Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	206
7	Michele Scarponi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli	203
8	Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank	200
9	Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana	185
10	Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana	167
11	Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack	154
12	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	144
13	Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia	140
14	André Greipel (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia	137
15	David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	132
16	Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone	127
17	Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team	120
18	Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo	120
19	Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana	117
20	Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank	116
21	Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia	113
22	Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne	110
23	Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini	108
24	Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions	107
25	Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	105
26	Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team	100
27	Greg Henderson (NZl) Sky Professional Cycling Team	97
28	Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) Cervelo Test Team	96
29	Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	96
30	Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions	95
31	Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	94
32	Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervelo Test Team	90
33	Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia	83
34	Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank	82
35	Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha	82
36	Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	82
37	George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team	80
38	Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto	80
39	Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha	80
40	Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	79
41	Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank	73
42	Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Professional Cycling Team	71
43	Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Team Katusha	70
44	Richie Porte (Aus) Team Saxo Bank	70
45	Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox	62
46	Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank	62
47	Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale	61
48	Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator	60
49	Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank	60
50	Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack	60
51	Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	58
52	Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana	56
53	Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Cervelo Test Team	56
54	Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha	55
55	Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram	54
56	Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	44
57	Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux	42
58	Tiago Machado (Por) Team Radioshack	41
59	Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet	40
60	Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Liquigas-Doimo	38
61	Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo	36
62	Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank	34
63	Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin - Transitions	34
64	Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	30
65	Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha	30
66	Francesco Ginanni (Ita) Androni Giocattoli	30
67	Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox	30
68	Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-Farnese Vini	29
69	John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	28
70	Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank	26
71	Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia	24
72	Marcel Wyss (Swi) Cervelo Test Team	20
73	Leif Hoste (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	20
74	Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step	20
75	Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Team Katusha	18
76	Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team	18
77	Manuel Belletti (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox	18
78	Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	17
79	Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	16
80	Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram	16
81	Chris Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank	16
82	Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	16
83	Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Omega Pharma-Lotto	16
84	Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank	16
85	Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne	16
86	Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step	16
87	Mauricio Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank	14
88	Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Transitions	13
89	Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank	13
90	Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank	12
91	Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	12
92	Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia	12
93	Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - Transitions	12
94	Robert Förster (Ger) Team Milram	11
95	Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank	11
96	Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team	10
97	Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	10
98	Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	10
99	Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step	10
100	Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun	10
101	William Bonnet (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	10
102	Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank	10
103	Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram	10
104	Dario David Cioni (Ita) Sky Professional Cycling Team	8
105	Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Androni Giocattoli	8
106	Simone Stortoni (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox	8
107	Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team	8
108	Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne	8
109	Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step	8
110	Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone	7
111	Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Footon-Servetto	7
112	Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne	7
113	Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team	6
114	Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha	6
115	Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team	6
116	Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne	6
117	Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack	6
118	Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank	6
119	Davide Malacarne (Ita) Quick Step	6
120	Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack	6
121	Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team	6
122	Alexander Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale	5
123	Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux	5
124	Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini	5
125	Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team Radioshack	5
126	Markus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram	4
127	Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française Des Jeux	4
128	Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	4
129	Hayden Roulston (NZl) Team HTC - Columbia	4
130	Iban Mayoz Echeverria (Spa) Footon-Servetto	4
131	Tiziano Dall'antonia (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	4
132	Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bbox Bouygues Telecom	4
133	Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	4
134	Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank	4
135	Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini	4
136	Michael Albasini (Swi) Team HTC - Columbia	3
137	Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	3
138	Aitor Galdos Alonso (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	3
139	Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto	2
140	Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank	2
141	Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française Des Jeux	2
142	Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française Des Jeux	2
143	Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli	2
144	Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia	2
145	David Loosli (Swi) Lampre-Farnese Vini	2
146	Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia	2
147	Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun	2
148	Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne	1
149	Jan Bakelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto	1
150	Stephen Cummings (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team	1
151	Sebastian Lang (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto	1
152	Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team	1
153	Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank	1
154	Fabio Felline (Ita) Footon-Servetto	1
155	Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha	1
156	Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia	1
157	Dominik Nerz (Ger) Team Milram	1
158	Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo	1
159	Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux	1
160	Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des Jeux	1
161	Davide Vigano (Ita) Sky Professional Cycling Team	1
162	Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	1
163	Adam Blyth (GBr) Omega Pharma-Lotto	1
164	Federico Canuti (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox	1

Nations
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Spain	935	pts
2	Italy	820
3	Belgium	724
4	Australia	691
5	United States	343
6	Kazakhstan	302
7	Russia	292
8	Germany	255
9	Switzerland	247
10	France	187
11	Slovenia	172
12	Netherlands	149
13	Norway	126
14	Great Britain	122
15	Czech Republic	120
16	New Zealand	113
17	Estonia	110
18	Canada	107
19	Luxembourg	94
20	Austria	83
21	Ireland	61
22	Portugal	48
23	Croatia	38
24	Slovakia	38
25	Denmark	28
26	Sweden	16
27	Colombia	15
28	South Africa	13
29	Argentina	13
30	Japan	4
31	Belarus	1

Teams
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Team Katusha	575	pts
2	Liquigas-Doimo	566
3	Astana	525
4	Team HTC - Columbia	497
5	BMC Racing Team	479
6	Omega Pharma-Lotto	464
7	Team Saxo Bank	426
8	Cervelo Test Team	382
9	Caisse d'Epargne	370
10	Lampre-Farnese Vini	326
11	Rabobank	311
12	Euskaltel - Euskadi	286
13	Quick Step	270
14	Team Radioshack	267
15	Garmin - Transitions	261
16	Androni Giocattoli	243
17	Sky Professional Cycling Team	200
18	Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne	147
19	Acqua & Sapone	134
20	Colnago - CSF Inox	119
21	Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team	110
22	AG2R La Mondiale	107
23	Team Milram	95
24	Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator	60
25	Française Des Jeux	55
26	Bbox Bouygues Telecom	47
27	Landbouwkrediet	40
28	Saur - Sojasun	12
29	Footon-Servetto	12

2010 Tour of Ireland cancelled
Article published:
June 1, 2010, 15:49
By:
Shane Stokes
Organisers hope race will resume next year
Three years after its reintroduction, the Tour of Ireland has been put on hold following a shortfall in sponsorship for this year’s edition. The race organizers confirmed yesterday that the 2010 race – which was due to be held in mid-August – is off, but said that they hope the five day, 2.1-ranked event will resume in 2011.

"Despite significant commercial and public sector funding, current economic conditions have meant that the additional investment required to make the event viable has not been forthcoming in time for this season," they said in a statement.

"We fully intend to bring it back for 2011 when the private sector environment is stronger," added organizer Alan Rushton.

The race returned in 2007 after a long absence, and enjoyed strong support from the public and the media. Images from the event were shown worldwide, justifying the investment put in by the Irish Tourism body Failte Ireland.

The previous incarnation was titled the Nissan Classic, and ran until 1992. UCI President Pat McQuaid was involved in the organization of that with Rushton, and he said that he regretted the news.

"I understand the situation because the economic situation in Ireland is very bad at the moment. I would hope that over the next 12 months that they might find another sponsor that can come on board. I know that there is genuine support from the government and companies like An Post that the event would continue," he told Cyclingnews. "It just needs another commercial sponsor to make it viable. I would hope that over the next twelve months that the conditions would improve a bit to make that happen."

The race was reduced from five to three days last year due to a tight economic environment. Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong competed in the race, but the organizers denied that he had been paid a fee to do so. Armstrong had previously received an appearance fee in races like the Tour Down Under and the Giro d’Italia.

British rider Russell Downing won the event, and this victory helped him to get a pro contract with Team Sky. He rewarded that trust when he won a stage in the Criterium International this year.

McQuaid said that the race is an important fixture on the Irish calendar. "Cycling has a very strong history and tradition in Ireland and it deserves to have the best professionals in the world coming there at least once a year to take part in races and to show themselves to the Irish public," he said.

However he argues that the effect of races stopping extends much wider. "It’s not just important for Irish cycling, but also for European and world cycling. Every major international race in the national territory is important for the continuous development of the sport."

Rushton will be working hard in the months ahead to try to get things back on track for August 2011.
Contador completes Tour de France reconnaissance
Article published:
June 1, 2010, 19:35
By:
Cycling News
Spaniard says 2010 race harder than last year's
Defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador wrapped up a four-day reconnaissance of the critical Pyrenean stages of this year's race, stating, "We've seen the stages that will decide the Tour."

Contador rode all four stages with seven of his teammates who make up the Astana team's pre-selection for the race: Dmitri Fofonov, Paolo Tiralongo, Benjamin Noval, Daniel Navarro, David de la Fuente, Jesus Hernandez and Oscar Pereiro

Stages 14 through 17 of the Tour will take place in the Pyrenees, with the first day ending on Ax-3 Domaines, then two mountainous days without hilltop finishes before the second rest day followed by the race's grande mountain finale atop the famed Col de Tourmalet.

Contador called the Tourmalet finish "the last chance of victory for the climbers" and said the race should be almost decided after this stage.

During his reconnaissance, Contador happened to meet some of his main competitors at the top of the Tourmalet: brothers Andy and Frank Schleck of the Saxo Bank team, who had climbed from the opposite direction from the Col de Soulor.

With little more than one month before the Tour de France, the Astana captain said he is satisfied with his form, but has not yet reached his peak. "The [sensations] are good, yes, but not yet like those of the Tour, because there are still three and a half weeks before the start and this is not a good time, it is still a time of allergies, and that limits me a little," Contador said.

He will compete in the Dauphiné Libéré beginning this weekend before topping off his pre-Tour preparations with a preview of the Alpine stages.

"I'm doing the preparation as I wanted," Contador said. "After a serious stop after the Classics (about 10 days off the bike) it was hard to start again, but everything has gone as planned. I'll do the Dauphiné without pressure, as a tune-up, because the preparation is perfect," he said.