Contador, not Lance, is the man: Riis
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday July 4, 2009
Fractured Astana team must unite behind Spaniard in the Tour de France, which starts on Saturday, says a rival boss. Rupert Guinness reports from Monaco. It would be wrong for seven-time Tour de France Lance Armstrong to be anointed as the team leader of the crack Astana outfit for this year's race, says Bjarne Riis, the manager of one of their biggest rivals.While he labelled Armstrong's comeback "courageous", the SAXO Bank team boss believes the team's rightful leader is the 2007 champion, Spaniard Alberto Contador, who missed last year's race because Astana were refused entry for their implication in doping under a former management.Asked if it was wise to have three or four riders in one team who were capable of winning the Tour overall, Riis who had three such riders last year before one of them, Spaniard Carlos Sastre, went on to win replied: "If they are clever enough, they will have a lot of opportunities to [still] win. Obviously they have one leader and that should be Contador. I can't imagine they will have other plans, otherwise it's going to be interesting."Riis, who won the 1996 Tour and has Australian Stuart O'Grady as a right-hand man for his two Tour contenders, Andy and Frank Schleck, went as far as to say he felt Armstrong could not win the Tour again."Lance Armstrong too old? Obviously, he is not too old ... maybe we will have to wait and see. But to beat these young kids today on the climbs, I don't believe it. I don't believe he can do it," Riis said, adding that he doubts Contador and Armstrong will have the falling-out that many are predicting. Contador has been named as the team's top rider, but memories are long about how Armstrong reacts when a winning opportunity comes his way. Many also look to his improving form in the recent Giro d'Italia where he was 12th.And soon after he spoke, the mounting expectation that a stink is waiting to explode between Armstrong and Contador only heightened at the televised official team presentation where they stood side-by-side with an icy distance between them and neither acknowledging the other.O'Grady and fellow Australian Michael Rogers are two of many riders who believe Armstrong will be in the fray over the next two weeks. O'Grady, for whom this year's Tour will be his 13th, said: "I don't want to say he isn't because if I say that, for sure he is going to come out and win the Tour. It is going to be extremely difficult for him, but Lance has won seven Tours before. If anyone can do it, Lance can do it."O'Grady said he would welcome an Armstrong win, despite his job being to help the Schleck brothers. "I would love to see Lance win. I really would. It would be one of the great comeback stories in the history of sport. It's fantastic," O'Grady said.Rogers believes the depth of challengers for the podium is huge. He tips Contador to win but won't rule out Armstrong."It is going to be a bloody good race. There are a heap of guys who can finish on the podium."Rogers had a scare on Friday, crashing while riding on the stage one time trial course in Monaco. Fortunately he did not sustain any serious injuries, although he did suffer abrasions and bruising to his right hip."It's all right, but I'm a bit sore. It could have been worse." he said.Meanwhile, Queenslander Allan Davis will not start the Tour after the French Olympic Committee ruled in favour of teammate Tom Boonen's appeal against the Tour organisation's decision not to let the Belgian race after his positive reading for cocaine in April."I have been told I won't be racing," a disappointed Davis said on Friday.TOUR TIPPINGRupert Guinness' predictionsfor the top ten finishers:1. Lance Armstrong (USA)2. Cadel Evans (Aus)3. Alberto Contador (Spa)4. Andy Schleck (Lux)5. Carlos Sastre (Spa)6. Denis Menchov (Rus)7. Christian Vande Velde (USA)8. Michael Rogers (Aus)9. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita)10. Levi Leipheimer (USA)
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