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Tour de France winner lashes out at Armstrong
Published: 28 July, 2009, 14:10
Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong (R) (AFP Photo/Patrick Hertzog)
Newly crowned Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has launched a stinging attack on his Astana teammate Lance Armstrong following this year's event.
The Spaniard, who grabbed the yellow jersey three quarters of the way through and never lost it, was quoted as saying: “My relationship with Lance is zero”.
“He is a great rider and has completed a great race, but it is another thing on a personal level, where I have never had great admiration for him and I never will,” he added.
According to Contador, during the Tour the days in the hotel were harder than those on the road.
“The situation was tense and delicate because the relationship between myself and Lance extended to the rest of the staff,” he said.
Lance Armstrong has already responded to his teammate’s words on his Twitter page, saying Contador would not have won without the team.
“Seeing these comments from AC [Alberto Contador]. If I were him I’d drop this drivel and start thanking his team,” the legendary US rider stated.
The 37-year old Armstrong finished third this year.
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All credit to Lance. However, I think everyone should leave while they are on TOP of their sport/career choice, etc. It seems that all Lance knows how to do with his life is run the Tour. Too bad, now he is not on top any more. Getting mixed up in verbal tiffs and controversy does not bode well for a CHAMPION.
What a nasty little man. Lets see if he can survive testicular cancer and come back to even place in the top 10, let alone third place. If he didnt like him so much, why did he agree to be on the same team? He could have won with class, instead his win is judged on him running his mouth.
I am a little bit shocked at how this person could denigrate a team mate, who has such a record of championships & has not been bad mouthed by his team members before. If it were true, it seems it would have come out before now. I'm very aware of how much your team supports you so that you are able to get to the position of wearing a yellow jersey. There was more controversy this year than usual. I mean you always have the steroid use issue, but this was more personal. And all of it aimed at Lance or his team. Is this guy willing to put himself in a position of having no team support? Does he think he can do it by himself? Next time, let him ride by himself & see how well he does!