Contador makes A Great Start

Alberto Contador, one of the most popular and accomplished cyclists in the world, has come up with a great performance to start 2013 with a winning note. The champion cyclist continued with his performance of last year when he won the prestigious title of Mirador del Sol. The cyclist registered a great win with a performance of the life time. He led the race right from the beginning like a champion as he gave no chance to any of his challengers any chance to get better of him. This win has been his first prestigious win of this year 2013.

The humble-natured champion of this world class championship showed his gratefulness to his fellow team mates. Right after receiving the championship, Alberto Contador thanked his team mates in sincere words but he did not forget to mention that the team needs to work harder in the time to come. Obviously, the champion cyclist eyed the forthcoming championships like Tour de France and World Championships. He thanked all his team mates to support him and getting him ready in every possible manner to face the tough challenge in winning the championship in the form of Mirador del Sol.

Revealing his future plans, Alberto said that he would take rest for while and then start his preparations for the forth-coming world championship. He said that his next target is La Carolina where he would face the similar conditions which he had to face there. He also expressed a little concern over adding a few extra pounds of weight in his body. However, he showed confidence of getting rid of this extra weight before he appears for La Carolina. His determination is quite evident which has increased manifold after this grand win. Alberto Contador is all set to continue with his performance later during the year as well.


Cycling is one of the cleanest sports

Good news for the cycling fans all over shaken up by the dope confessions of legendary rider Lance Armstrong. David Miller, the reformed British drug user has lately claimed that presently he feels cycling as one among the cleanest of sports. Added to his latest claim, Millar stressed that however, it would take another decade to gain back the credibility in cycling given the surpassed amount of dope scandals coming into light in the recent times- especially the shattering confession of Armstrong’s drug consumptions which helped him to earn the coveted yellow jersey in Tour de France from 1999-2005.

While attending a session in a Madrid anti-dope agency forum, the British pro emphasized that the present genre cyclists are geared for a clean race sans any kind drug consumption for enhancing their performance in the championships.

“We have already cleaned up the sport and professional cycling can now be taken as one among the cleanest of sports across the world. We have brought in the goodness of anti-doping culture lately as otherwise cycling was about to die down. But again it might take another scandal free (dope scandal) ten years from now on to regain back the credibility and faith of the public in cycling”, Millar said.

Added to the statement, Millar expressed that he believes that the winners from last 3 Grand Tours- Bradley Wiggins (2012 Tour de France), Ryder Hesjedal (Giro d’Italia) & Alberto Contador (Vuelta e Espana) have achieved a clean victory. He further stressed that he felt that probably this is the 1st time in cycling history that all of the 3 Grand Tour winners had been honest & clean in one single year. “However, given the legacy left by Lance Armstrong, a great number of people won’t be sure of these achievements”, remarked the British pro.


Retirement decision on the cards, thinks Chris Hoy

Sir Chris Hoy is without any doubt the greatest cyclist of Britain. He has received enormous supports and salutes following his sixth gold medal in 2012 London Olympics. With seven overall medals in Olympic, Hoy became the all time inspiration for all British young cyclists. But you cannot undermine the age factor, especially when you an athlete. Same goes with Hoy also, and now he has started thinking to get his feet off the paddle!

The most successful British Olympian recently gave a bite where he expressed his wish to win the Commonwealth gold medal in 2014. Sir Hoy, the first ambassador of Glasgow 2014, desires to end his career after participating at the Glasgow 2014 cycling event which will take place at Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. Hoy felt lucky to be chosen the ambassador for Glasgow 2014 and asserted that it was a great honor, too. Sir Hoy hasn’t yet started with his training schedules but he said that it would probably the greatest achievement for him to finish his career after competing in the velodrome which bears his name.

The 36-year-old Scot will be joining the British team for training soon, but he won’t be competing at the World Championship which will take place in Minsk in February. He admits that he wants to give his career a perfect finish after taking part in the 2014 Commonwealth but at the same time he hopes that his body condition allows him to do so!

Sir Hoy is not interested in coaching as he thinks it is not his cup of tea. He says once he becomes a coach he will have to train those cyclists who have been his teammates or contemporaries. The other thing that seems to bother Chris Hoy is the kind of time and commitment required for coaching. He feels that a coach has to give more time in a practice session than the athletes themselves. And he is of the opinion that all good athletes do not make a good coach.


Contador focuses on the Giro d’Italia

The 29-year old Spaniard Alberto Contador is focusing on the 2013 Giro d’Italia. Contador attended the course presentation of 2013 Giro few days back and there he expressed his wish to participate in the Italian Grand Tour in 2013.

Contador returned from a two year doping ban back in August and since then he looks promising as he won the Vuelta a Espana and the Milan-Turin race. The Saxo Bank-TinkOff Bank rider also said that his primary objective would be to win the Tour de France next year but he would like to take part in the Giro because he felt that the track is pretty good to ride.

Alberto Contador expressed his opinion that the Giro race would be a tough one right from the beginning because some of the toughest climbs are there at the start of the race. He thinks that the team time trial and the Mountain Time trial will make a crucial effect. He then adds on that the final week of the race will be a great one as it demands some of the toughest finishes.

Contador is quite sure that the Giro would suit him quite well. But he is not absolutely sure of participating in it because he doesn’t know his schedule for the next year. He chooses to wait and see his programs of the upcoming season and then he will decide whether to take part or not.

Alberto Contador has five Grand Tour titles in his bag which includes one Giro d’Italia in 2008, a couple of Vuelta a Espana in 2008 and 2012 and two Tour de France in 2007 and 2009. He is making the 2013 Tour de France his bird’s eye and desparately wants to win it.


Petacchi to lead Lampre-ISD

It has been a disastrous season for Team Lampre-ISD. Now with the Tour of Beijing approaching, they hope to end the season with some success under their belt. It has been announced that Alessandro Petacchi will be leading the team in the race.

According to the score sheet of International Cycling Union (UCI) the blue-fuchsia team from Italy is positioned at the 14th spot out of 18 teams currently. They managed to get only eight victories this season and there is no World Tour victory in that. It looks like that they are under no serious threat as four other teams follow them but Giuseppe Saronni, the general manager of the team, is hoping to improve his team’s reputation by putting up a good show.

The former world champion, Saronni is not satisfied with the results of his team and said that the Beijing Championship would be of a great importance for is team. As the season approaches its end the Italian team desperately wants to wrap it up in a winning note so that they can carry some points in the World Tour ranking.

Alessandro Petacchi has secured three victories under his belt this year and he is the most successful rider of the team. “Ale-Jet” is all set to lead his team in Beijing and expecting a good result. Petacchi is considered to be one of the best riders in the peloton and it seems that the Beijing race course will suit him pretty well.

Alessandro Petacchi will be joined by lead out cyclists Davide Cimolai, Davide Vignao and Grega Bole whereas Manuele Mori and Daniel Pietropolli will be focusing on the breakaways. Morris Possoni will take up the responsibility of the uphill course. Petacchi’s team will also feature Adriano Malori.