King Contador claims third crown as Cav ends on high
ALBERTO CONTADOR cruised to his third Tour de France title in four years after Britain’s Mark Cavendish clinched the final stage in Paris for the second year running.
Contador ensured Spain held onto the yellow jersey for the fifth successive year after safely arriving at the Champs Elysees 39 seconds ahead of nearest rival Andy Schleck, of Luxembourg, with Russia’s Denis Menchov in third.
But Cavendish also enjoyed his moment of glory after sprinting home over the last 100 metres to claim a fifth stage victory of the Tour, and 15th in total, ahead of Alessandro Petacchi, who took the green jersey. “You have got to be happy with just one stage win at the Tour de France,” said the HTC-Columbia rider. “It is the hardest and biggest bike race in the world and you have to show respect for it.”
Contador, meanwhile, was equally delighted, yet almost speechless, after becoming only the seventh rider in history to win the yellow jersey without winning a stage.
“I had some tough moments on this year’s race, as much from a mental as physical point of view,” the 27-year-old Astana rider said.
“I think that managing to cope during those days was the reason I won the Tour. I suffered a lot to get this result. Words don’t explain what it means to me.”
Lance Armstrong saw his final Tour end in controversy when his Radioshack team were fined 6,300 Swiss francs after being ordered to remove their jerseys, highlighting cancer sufferers, as it fell foul of Tour rules. He finished 23rd overall.
TOUR DE FRANCE | STANDINGS
1. Alberto Contador (Spa) 9hrs 58:48
2. Andy Schleck (Lux) +39secs
3. Denis Menchov (Rus) +2.01mins
4. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) +3.40mins
5. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) +6.54mins