Alberta Contador rides during stage 11.(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo).(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo).(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The white jersey leader Fabio Aru and maglia rosa Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alberto Contador on the stage 11 podium.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alberto Contador made it through another day in pink.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Not so much an attack as a fact-finding mission. Having spent most of stage 11 of the Giro d'Italia sitting within touching distance of Astana's Fabio Aru, Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) decided to test the Sardinian’s mettle on the final ascent of the Tre Monti, 8km from the finish at the motor-racing circuit in Imola.
It was Contador’s second telling attack at this Giro. The first time he went on the offensive, at Abetone a week ago, Aru had moved swiftly onto his wheel and responded impetuously with a rasping acceleration of his own.
Contador was diplomatic, meanwhile, when pressed on the idea that Sky and Orica-GreenEdge had been combining in support of Porte throughout the Giro - remembering, perhaps, that he has been able to call in favours of his own over the years, and indeed at this very race.
"They're two different teams," Contador said. "There are always people who are more sympathetic to you, that's normal, but they're two different teams."
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Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.
