Astana Cycling Team

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 →

Октябрь:

• Tour of Hainan (11-19 октября): Alexandre Vinokourov, Maxim Gourov, Maxim Iglinskiy, Valentin Iglinskiy, Roman Kireyev, Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy, Sergey Renev
• Milano - Torino (13 октября) - cancelled
• Giro del Piemonte (14 октября): Assan Bazayev, Dmitriy Fofonov, Enrico Gasparotto, Alexander Dyachenko, Gorazd Stangelj, Andrey Grivko, Josep Jufre, Mirko Selvaggi
  
• Giro di Lombardia (16 октября): Assan Bazayev, Dmitriy Fofonov, Enrico Gasparotto, Alexander Dyachenko, Gorazd Stangelj, Andrey Grivko, Josep Jufre, Mirko Selvaggi
• Chrono des Nations - Les Herbières Vendée (17 октября) Read the rest of this entry →

www.albertocontador.com

Photo by Jacinto Vidarte

Alberto Contador got today the first victory of the year in the Alto de Malhao, the same place where he was second in 2009, behind Toni Colom, before to win the time trial and the overall of the Volta ao Algarve.

The Astana team prepared today a very clear strategy to leave Contador at the bottom of the last climb with a chance of winning and all plans were fulfilled. “I'm thrilled by the work has done all the team, both yesterday and today. Everything worked out perfect. I was able to finish the job, but victory is especially of my teammates”, said Alberto Contador after getting off the podium.

Contador said yesterday's stage had been “very hard, like today, because we knew we had to make it hard to score some differences. At the end there were not many seconds ahead, because the climb was short, but the balance is pretty good”.

Alberto reached the final 2.5 km climb, placed in front, “though a little behind”, he explained, “around on 20 place. I had to go up a bit, but De la Fuente had searched me and then we have been alone together until 1.5 km to go, where I went to finish line”.

When asked if it was something special to win a RadioShack rider, Tiago Machado, he said no, that he only thinks “to fight for victory. I prepare to win, but not over them, all I have very clear is that I dedicate this victory to each Astana’s riders”. Read the rest of this entry →

The roster of the Team Astana for the TROFEO LAIGUEGLIA - 20/02/2010
Here is the list of the riders of the team Astana who will attend the race of Laigueglia:
Scott DAVIS (AUS)
Valeriy DMITRIYEV (KAZ)
Roman KIREYEV (KAZ)
Yevgeniy NEPOMNYACHSHIY (KAZ)
Bolat RAIMBEKOV (KAZ)
Mirko SELVAGGI (ITA)
Paolo TIRALONGO (ITA)
They will be supervised by the sport director Alexandr Sheffer.

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

“It was a day a little moved, with rain, wind and some cold. There's been all, but my feelings were good”, said Alberto Contador at the conclusion of the first day of the Volta ao Algarve, in his season debut. Alberto finished sixteenth, 5 seconds behind the winner, Vaugrenard (Française), which crossed the line slightly leading ahead of Horrach (3") and Greipel (4"), times that were added to bonuses (10, 6 and 4 seconds).

Photo - ContadorInfo

“I'm very happy with the team”, also wanted to highlight. “My teammates have worked to perfection, though it was only a transitional stage, pending what happens in the coming days”. Despite which, in the last kilometers could also be seen alone in front of the pack. Alberto attacked on the last climb and was a few meters ahead. “The important thing today was how were my legs, and my feeling was good”, he said thinking on Friday, with a climb final and important first step, before last day’s time trial.
Alberto, on Twitter
In the Volta ao Algarve, on the other hand, Alberto Contador will offer via Twitter his impressions both in and out of the race. “From now those who wish follow me and read my comments may do so through my profile, @albertocontador” says the leader of Astana, thus adding this option of direct communication with the already known www.albertocontador.com page and the new team's official site, www.astana.lu, which is launching now.
Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

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 →

17 - 21 february 2010: Volta ao Algarve

Alberto Contador will participate next Wednesday at the Tour of Algarve in Portugal. This is for the leader of the Astana team the first race of the season, which is the start of his long preparation for the Tour de France.

Composition of the team Astana for the Tour Algarve:

• Alberto CONTADOR
• David DE LA FUENTE
• Maxim GOUROV
• Andriy GRIVKO
• Jesùs HERNANDEZ
• Daniel NAVARRO
• Benjamen NOVAL
• Sergey RENEV

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

The Astana team has done a good week back on French roads in the Tour Méditerranéen. With Maxim Iglinskiy, 3rd in the final standings behind Valverde and Nocentini, and Alexandre Vinokourov at the 5th place.

"We tried to trap Valverde on the slopes of Mont-Faron, said Alexandre Vinokourov, but with the cold and snow, our efforts were difficult. Nevertheless we can be satisfied with our work."

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department