Astana Cycling Team

Photo - ContadorInfo

Contador: “I’m arriving in good form”

Alberto Contador will begin his second race of the season on Sunday at Paris-Nice, a competition that, since his victory in 2007, has always had a special significance for him. The occasion also marks his first return to French roads since winning the Tour, which has been another source of motivation for reaching the start line in good physical condition. “I’m arriving in a good state of form,” says the leader of Astana, “although I’ve only done a little more work since the Volta ao Algarve.”

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How’s your current condition?

I’ve had a cold, I think as a consequence of the rain we had to put up with in Portugal, but in spite of everything, I think that I’m in good form.

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What have you been doing since your victory in the Algarve? What has changed since then?

I’ve rested a little more than planned, because it was a tough tour, also because I had the cold. Since then I’ve done some training with the idea of brushing up on the work I did during the winter, but I don’t know if I’m better or worse than I was in Portugal, because things were already going really well there.

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In Paris-Nice 2009 you suffered a spectacular bonk, do you have a desire for revenge or is that just an entertaining story from the past?
No, I don’t desire revenge. That was a pretty valuable experience that served to let me know that you can’t be careless about anything and that you have to take a stoic view of the race. It cost me the victory in 2009, yes, but an important experience came with it. Read the rest of this entry →

Alberto Contador: "It’s a very important victory for team’s morale"

Photo by Jacinto Vidarte

Alberto Contador managed to score the second fastest time of the final time trial of the Tour of Algarve, just 13 seconds behind stage winner Luis Leon Sanchez, which earned him the overall victory in the final with full credit on each nearest rivals, Tiago Machado and Levi Leipheimer, who even lost his third podium place.

Despite having suffered continual setbacks due to the last minute ban to use his new TT bike and be required to prepare urgently a obsolete frame in order to contest the race, Alberto Contador proved that it is a rider that grows against adversity and, thanks to the speed of reaction from Specialized and his mechanics, could solve the difficult ballot to be raised in his season debut. Read the rest of this entry →

Alberto Contador: “I look forward to compete”

Photo: © InfoContador

Alberto Contador returns to racing tomorrow after the longest period of voluntary rest of his career, which makes the Volta ao Algarve an appointment that the Astana leader has waited with great desire, but also points out that precisely because of this "I do not get the same opportunities as in 2009 when I won the overall."

How do you come to the first race of 2010?

I am especially looking forward to. I am a rider who likes to compete and that's what motivates me. I think I came with a good level, but not with that of 2009 when I won. I'm fine, but what I want is to make a good preparation for the Paris-Nice, that I want to contest.

Can you compare your feelings with those of last year?

The sensations are good, but in 2009 I came from a stage in the U.S. where I worked very well and this year, however, has been a very bad weather in Madrid and I have not trained as I like. Anyway, this is the first race of the year and we should not pay too much importance.

Have you changed your training or have done it as previous years?

No, I have done more or less like other years, perhaps with more long trainings in 2009, with the idea to adjust a little more weight, because I'm still 63,5 kg, 2 kg above the weight of the Tour , and you can feel that. Read the rest of this entry →

www.20minutos.es
J.F.DE LA CRUZ. 21.01.2010

Ящичек на заднем плане - скорее всего тот самый с Specialized Body Geometry FIT

Andy Pruitt, которому было 14, когда он лишился ноги по колено, говорит, что этот трагический инцидент, возможно, по иронии судьбы поспособствовал его нынешней карьере био-механика.

Прюитт живет в Boulder (Colorado, USA), увлекается горными лыжами и велоспортом, он даже дважды победил в мировых чемпионатах для инвалидов в 80-х (не уточняется только - в вело или в лыжах). Именно увлечение спортом способствовало его интересу к биомеханике. Тщательный анализ, подстройка и резкий прогресс компьютерных технологий способствовали заметному успеху в его деле.

"Велосипед должен быть приспособлен к гонщику, а не наоборот" - это его убеждение. Specialized уже несколько лет сотрудничает с основанным Прюиттом Boulder Medical Center по его программе BG Fit, поставщик велосипедов Астаны привез эту технологию на сборы Астаны в Кальпе для опробования метода на Альберто Контадоре.

Specialized заявляет, что в 2009-м это принесло прогресс для Анди и Фрэнка Шлеков. "Мы знали, что Альберто примет эту идею, он настоящий гонщик." Read the rest of this entry →

Альберто Контадор на пресс-конференции

Фото с первой пресс-конференции, мы немедленно обновим, когда в сети появятся отчеты о вчерашней

"Команда реагирует невероятным образом"
Сегодня состоялась пресс-конференция Альберто Контадора в отеле в Кальпе, на которой он был очень доволен своим достижением и своими товарищами по команде после первых сборов года. Контадор останется в Кальпе до следующего воскресенья и начнет сезон с 17 февраля на “Туре по Алгарве».
Как вы чувствуете себя на данном этапе и какой вы видите команду Астана?
Я очень доволен работой, которую мы здесь делаем. Мы проезжаем около 160 или 170 км в среднем, и команда тренируется невероятным образом. Существует различие в отношениях, по сравнению с прошлым годом, с гонщиками, которые были в команде, и с казахами, которые были вовлечены позже, и они также показывают свой улучшенный уровень. Что касается меня, у меня хорошие ощущения. Мне еще надо тренироваться немного больше, но показатели, тем не менее очень хорошие.
Существуют ли различия между сборами в Пизе и сейчас?
Да, я заметил большую разницу, но не в мотивации. То, что я хотел, чтобы команда напряженно тренировалась, и мы проехали более 200 км, однако есть гонщики, которые проехали больше. С каждым днем я все больше убеждаюсь, что у нас будет отличная команда на Туре. Read the rest of this entry →

Alberto Contador’s Press Conference

"The team is responding in an incredible way"

Alberto Contador has offered today a Press Conference at the Calpe stage hotel in which he has been very pleased with his progress and that of his companions after the first trainings of the year. Contador will stay in Calpe until next Sunday and begin to compete on 17 February at the Tour of Algarve.

How are you feeling at this stage and how do you see the Astana team?

I'm very happy with the work we are doing here. We're riding about 160 or 170 km on average and the team is responding in an incredible way. There is a difference in attitude from last year in riders who were on the team, with the Kazakhs much more involved and they shows also that have improved their level. As for me, I'm very good sensations. I still have to tune a little more, but data are still very good.

Are there differences between the stage of Pisa and now?

Yes, I have noticed much difference, but not in motivation. What I wanted was to see the team in hard training and we have done some of over 200 km and still were riders who have done more. Every day I become more convinced that we will have a great team in the Tour. Read the rest of this entry →

Конфликта между испанскими звездами не будет

CyclingNews

Альберото  Контадор останется в команде Астана на еще один год, но в случае если он уйдет Caisse d’Epargne одна из команд, которая имеет больше шансов заполучить его подпись на контракте. Лучший гонщик команды Алехандро Вльверде ясно заявил, что будет рад подписанию земляка, насмотря на то, что это может оказать влияние на его цели и задачи на Тур де Франс. «Как я говорил и раньше это было бы великолепно если б Альберто смог присоединиться к команде. У нас есть место для него и у меня нет с этим проблем» - сказал он Cyclingnews «Он знает, что мы его очень ждем. Другой вопрос на сколько это возможно; ситуация выглядит довольно сложной». Read the rest of this entry →

Interview by Josu Garai/MARCA
02/09/09
While packing his bags for traveling to Germany with his brother Fran—namely, to Eurobike, the bicycle trade fair par excellence—Alberto Contador (Pinto, 1982) answered MARCA’s call. His technical sponsors Giro, Look and Sidi demand his presence in cycling’s greatest showroom, and the Madrileño doesn’t hesitate to satisfy them, in thanks for a year of work well done.
How’s it going, watching the Vuelta from the sidelines?
Very well, I feel a little twinge at not being there, but seeing the crash on Tuesday—the one that happened at 3 km from the finish at Liége—dampened my enthusiasm a bit, because I’m almost sure that I would’ve been caught, since it took place near the front where the favorites usually are. When they get to the mountains, I’m sure that it’ll be different, but in these early stages, I thought: I’m not missing anything.
So we see that you’re following the Vuelta in detail.
Yes, I’m watching it, although I’m traveling a little here and there. When I get back from Germany, I’ve got to go to Belgium again, because I’ve got a criterium on Sunday.
You just don’t stop. How many criteriums have you ridden?
Uff, I don’t know for sure. I think it’s six, seven counting this one. And I still have others left: Alcobendas, Cancún, Curaçao…and if the dates square up, also the ACP criterium.
Have you concluded your official race season already?
Yes, practically, because I just spoke with José Luis de Santos, the Spanish national selector, and even though I still train, and I’m going quite fast and there’s nothing bad going on, we agreed that I’m not going to do the time trial at the Worlds. Read the rest of this entry →