Tour de France 2009

Contador savouring second win

by Philip Turle

Article published on the 2009-07-27 Latest update 2009-07-29 11:15 TU

First place Alberto Contador (C) on the podium with second place Andy Schleck (L) and Lance Armstrong (R)
(Photo: Reuters)

After his first victory in 2007, Alberto Contador is Monday savouring his second Tour de France win on Sunday. The 26-year-old Spaniard, riding for the Astana, had been the overall Tour leader for the past seven days since snatching the overall leader’s yellow jersey at the end of stage 15 between Pontarlier and Verbier.

Sunday’s win is a remarkable feat for Contador, who was absent from last year’s Tour and who almost died from a brain haemorrhage in 2004.

Runner-up was Luxembourg’s Andy Schlek, riding for Saxo Bank, who at the age of 24 looks set to become one of the future Tour champions and a serious challenger for the yellow jersey.

Seven-time Tour de France-winner Lance Armstrong of the US came third, another remarkable feat considering Armstrong, who is 37, returned to the race after a three year break.

The American, riding for Astana - the same team as Contador - had made it clear all along he was seeking an eighth Tour win, but he said after Sunday’s final stage that he had experienced as much pleasure coming third as he had when he won his last Tour in 2005.

After the notable rivalry between Armstrong and Contador, which dominated the headlines during much of the 2009 Tour, both riders have announced they will be riding for different teams in next year’s race.

The 2009 Tour de France was also marked by six impressive stage victories by Britain’s Mark Cavandish, including Sunday’s final stage on the Champs Elysees in Paris. “Cav” has won a total of 10 stage wins and now enters Tour de France history as the rider who obtained the most sprint victories in a single Tour, despite failing to obtain the best sprinter’s green jersey, which was taken by Norway’s Thor Hushovd. 

Next year’s Tour de France will kick off in Rotterdam.