Tour de France interview, Alberto Contador: Mountains on the horizon

July 8, 9:56 AMCycling ExaminerJames Raia

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The ongoing Lance Armstrong vs. Alberto Contador intrigue will begin to unfold in earnest in the seventh stage of the Tour de France when riders Friday negotiate the first of three successive mountain stages.

It will mark the end of the first week of the race's 96th edition, and in quick succession pretenders will be eliminated and contenders will emerge as the peloton enters two new countries in one day, Spain and Andorra.

Neither Armstrong nor Contador give the media's build up of their rivalry much credence. Instead, both riders know what's on the horizon — seven mountain stages.

Here's what Contador, winner of the last three Grand Tours in which he's ridden, had to say following his Astana's victory in the team time trial fourth stage.

On currently having or not having the yellow jersey:

"I think that today we have to be very, very happy. We have distanced enough riders like Sastre, Evans, Menchov and even the Schlecks. It's only a pity we missed the yellow jersey. Always you like to have the maillot and especially Lance, with what it means for him. On the other hand, this allows us to ride more relaxed."

On how he felt in the stage:

"I felt like I was one of the strongest riders but the course was not so good for me personally. It's a pity that there were not more climbs. It was especially in the climbs that I felt comfortable."

On the progress of the team:

"For the moment things are very good in the overall, but it is necessary to keep concentration, because we have completed only four days, though it seems that we’ve passed a lot of days of the Tour. The coming days in the Pyrenees will be interesting. Our rivals will have to attack. We will have to be awake."

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