11:18am Monday 26th July 2010
ALBERTO CONTADOR edged closer to Lance Armstrong’s record number of victories yesterday as the American’s Tour de France career came to an end.
Contador (Astana) secured a third Tour title in four years by 39 seconds from Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank), who finished as runner-up for a second straight year.
The Spaniard is now four victories behind seven-time winner Armstrong, who bade farewell to the race he dominated with seven successive wins between 1999 and 2005.
After Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) won the 20th stage from Longjumeau to Paris, sprinting to victory on the Champs Elysees, Contador stood on the podium above Schleck and thirdplaced Denis Menchov (Rabobank).
‘‘My objective was to win the Tour and it’s such a big moment of relief,’’ said Contador.
However, the 27-year-old’s third successive win – he missed the 2008 Tour as his team was barred – is tainted in some people’s eyes.
Contador seized the yellow jersey on Monday by, contrary to racing etiquette, forging forward when Schleck suffered a mechanical problem as his chain slipped on the hors categorie (beyond category) climb of the Port de Bales.
Saturday’s 52-kilometre day time-trial from Bordeaux to Pauillac all but confirmed Contador as champion ahead of yesterday’s traditional procession.
But there was a reminder of the 97th Tour’s pivotal incident yesterday after a staged sprint between Contador and Schleck.
The 25-year-old from Luxembourg played along before looking down at his bike.
He radioed to his team car, then dropped back behind the peloton, where he switched his bike.
In 2009, Schleck finished four minutes 11 seconds behind Contador in second place, but the deficit was cut this year.
Contador and Schleck put the dropped chain incident behind them, but there is no doubt it was the decisive moment.
‘‘All the great races can only be won by very few seconds,’’ said Contador.
Either way, their rivalry, which saw them reach the Col du Tourmalet summit as equals, is likely to be an enduring one.
‘‘Andy is a great rider, I’ve spent a lot of time with him, I know him very well,’’ said Contador.
‘‘I think he’s going to be a major rival for a long time.’’ Much was made in 2009 of the relationship between Contador and Armstrong, who were members of the same team.
The Texan, after establishing the Team RadioShack squad, has endured a difficult 13th and final Tour, finishing almost 40 minutes behind in 23rd place.
Armstrong fell out of contention on the first Alpine stage, where he was involved in two crashes and finished almost 12 minutes behind, ending his dream of an eighth Tour title.
After being denied the stage victory he craved on Tuesday in Pau, Armstrong said the end was nigh – and now it has arrived.
There was a strange start to his final day when Armstrong and his Team RadioShack squad were told to change their race jerseys.
Armstrong, a cancer survivor, and his team wore black jerseys featuring the number 28, to signify the number of millions of people worldwide dealing with the disease. Race organisers ordered the team to revert to their original red and grey jerseys.
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