Astana Cycling Team

Alberto Contador in Liege-Bastogne-Liege

“That Vino win is as if I had won”

Photo ContadorInfo

“It was impressive, I'm happy that have won Vino, it's as if I had won”, said Alberto Contador after congratulating at the finish line Alexander Vinokourov after his victory in Liege.

“It was the result of the team work and I'm very happy”, he continued. "We had talked before the start we played with two options, mine went through attack at St. Nicholas or the Roche aux Faucons. There I started a little late, I got go with Andy Schleck, but we have been taken and when Vino is gone, I tried to make the maximum braking, especially with the Schleck brothers and Joaquim Rodriguez”.

“I've seen that Vino was very strong and had very touched listening how they cheered him on the radio. When I heard that he has won, I've been very happy”, he said. Contador also congratulated the team for their work. “We have been very compenetrated. We had two good chances of winning and when Vino goes ahead it was clear to me: I had to do what Saxo Bank did with Andy Schleck last year. The result was perfect”.

Alberto Contador come back from the Ardennes with a good feeling. “I have great taste in my mouth after these races, but today I noticed a lot more allergies than in the Fleche, but I saved the day because I had good sensations. I only gave a hint of cramps crowning St. Nicholas and in the last 500 meters of the race. In the two place I preferred to regulate because I thought I could stay cramped”. Read the rest of this entry →

Compiled from multiple Kazakh/Russian interviews and sources

Date of Birth: February 22, 1981
Family: Married to Sevil for 3 years, son Alan, 2 years old
Car: Mitsubishi Evolution 9 sports car
Favorite dish: Grilled zucchini with garlic
Ideal evening: Carry out with friends

Favorite city: Astana
Movie: Number One Enemy of the State
Music: Hip hop, hits from Russian underground radio. Lots of drums and bass

Books: A complete collection of the works of Chingiz Aitmatova, Shakespeare
Tattoos: Alan on wrist in honor of his son. B for Baza on neck. Celtic sun on shoulder, symbol of the beginning of life.
Superstitious? No. "I don't believe in scattered salt and black cats."
Forgive a betrayal? No
Country he dreams to visit: Malaysia
Cycling season residence: Monaco
Last time he cried: When his son Alan was born

Do you visit often in Kazakhstan?

At least every six months. Basically, in Astana. I'm very Tselinograd. My wife also comes to me. The last time was two months ago with our son Alan who turned 11 months old. Of course I miss them much. But this is cycling.

So you did not move your family to Europe?

Actually, I have no plans to stay there to live. The nature and conditions of Nice and the French Riviera are beautiful. Everyone wants to stay there. But I am a very patriotic person. I am drawn to my home province. I don't know, I can't even imagine myself in Europe. Once the career is over, I will return to Kazakhstan. 100% certain.

What are your plans then?

It is not thought out. All of this will depend on how much I earn. Perhaps I will do some business. I would remain in cycling if there are interesting proposals, an official.

When does a cyclist's career end?

Well, it's different for all. Here is Sasha Vinokurov, now 37 years old. He still plans to return to the professional sport, and not just go back, but to achieve something. There is no need for me to leave while I am still strong.

How did you meet your wife?

Random. I had a vacation when I rode for the national team. This was in October, the fifteenth as far as I remember. I was driving around the city with friends and accidentally saw this girl at the intersection where we turned. And I got to know her. She is astanchanka too, as I am. Read the rest of this entry →

Vino wins Giro del Trentino!

Alberto Contador will recognize on Tuesday the stage of the cobbles of the Tour de France, which will finish with seven of the cobble sections that are covered in the Paris-Roubaix. With Contador will be Óscar Pereiro, Benjamín Noval and Andrey Grivko.

Photo by Jacinto Vidarte

Read the rest of this entry →

Photo John Boertjes

"LS,

I'll put my money on Vino and Alberto for LBL tomorrow. Met them this morning in Maastricht, taking a break before going back to the hotel in Lanaken. They looked very relaxed and confident. Happy to get their autographs and some nice pictures.

Regards,

John" Read the rest of this entry →

Alberto Contador Press Conference before Liege

“My performance in Liege is unknown”

Photo Jacinto Vidarte

Alberto Contador did today with his Astana teammates the recognition of the last 80 km of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege route, on a sunny day and spring temperatures, between 15 and 20 degrees. After training, Contador hold a press conference before the race where he gave his impressions of this great Classic.
What do you expect about your performance next Sunday?
I do not know, is a bit unknown. My aim is to gain experience, because to try to win here requires more experience and know better more the course. I'm uncertain.
What do you think about to be competitive here and then also in the Tour?

I see it good. That riders like Evans, Nibali or Schleck brothers are here is good. For me it is the first time that I included these races in my program and I am also aware that the outcome of this classic is totally different from what would later happen in July.
How important is the result for you?
Of course, I'm always happy when I'm ahead, but these results do not influence at all in my preparation and performance that may have in July. It is the same to be third or finish 30. Read the rest of this entry →

The list of riders to be present for the LIEGE - BASTOGNE - LIEGE:

• Alberto CONTADOR (SPA)
• Dimitri FOFONOV (KAZ)
• Andriy GRIVKO (UKR)
• Maxim IGLINSKY (KAZ)
• Benjamin NOVAL (SPA)
• Oscar PEREIRO (SPA)
• Gorazd STANGELJ (SLO)
• Alexandre VINOKOUROV (KAZ)

Sport manager: Laurenzo LAPAGE

Alberto Contador held tomorrow, Friday April 23, at 15:00 hours, a Press Conference at the Holiday Inn Hotel (Liege) before Liege-Bastogne-Liege, which will race next Sunday.

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Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Alberto Contador in the Ardennes

“I'm happy with the result”

Photo ContadorInfo

Alberto Contador finished third in the Fleche Wallonne and did honor to the Ardennes classics, where he has come with the same fighting spirit that tends to show in all competitions. The victory is narrowly escaped, also due to the great performance of Cadel Evans and Joaquim Rodriguez, and also Igor Anton, who attacked first in Huy, and Alberto replied the first. The last 200 meters were decisive, as Evans and Rodriguez went to Contador in the final sprint.
Contador said he might have required that the wall of Huy “would have been a bit longer to use my qualities. I am not a specialist in classics, because the best cuality I have is recovery, but despite that I'm happy with what I achieved today. After the circumstances of the journey to come here, it’s not bad, but it is also true that when you're so close is not a relief to be third”.
Alberto repeated that his goal this week is “to take experience in these races and so I'm happy with what I achieved. It is now Liege on Sunday, but do not know what will happen, I will try to recover and I would do well, but be aware that it is a different race. In Fleche we passed several times through the finish and is not the same in Liege. I do not know how I will answer there”.
Contador also appreciated the work of their team mates. “The whole team has play with me and have done a great job, it has been a pity not to win, but neither I had ever been third in a classic of this level and so I'm happy. We will see what happens on Sunday”, he said.

(Automatic translation. Forgive inaccuracies).

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Jacinto Vidarte
Jefe de Prensa / Press Officer