11. Adelaide
by Rebecca
Bell
“The victory in the Tour Down Under will always remain the best souvenir
of my life”
The time is Saturday, January 22, 2005. The place, Willunga, near
Adelaide. A nervous circuit stage of the Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under
is being animated by a mix of Aussies and Spaniards. The air crackles with
the kinetic energy of argy-bargy.
Suddenly an audacious escape is launched by the yellow jersey, Liberty’s
Luis León Sanchez, and teammate Alberto Contador. The pair advance,
cashing in on the efforts of their mates in the front group, Allan Davis,
Javier Ramirez, and Carlos Barredo.
15 km to go…10…5… The young Spaniards have 30 seconds on the chasers.
Excitement builds. 3 km…2…1... Contador zips up, crosses the line, followed
by Sanchez.
Alberto Contador wins Stage 5 of the Tour Down Under! Salud!
From hospital bed to victory in eight months... Miracles happen,
wrought by neurosurgeons, dreamers, and the hand of God.
When Alberto is asked to name his best day ever on the bike, he replies
“The best is, without a doubt, when I won the stage in the Tour Down Under.
I remember that in the final straight I raced like mad because I was in
a hurry to get to the arrival point in order to call my parents and my girlfriend
and tell them.”
“The victory in the Tour Down Under will always remain the best souvenir
of my life. I progressed from a one-month stay in the hospital, not even
knowing if I would be able to live a normal life, to a stage win in my
first race.”
And his worst day? “I don't know. Of course, it was not the accident,
because on the contrary, that experience made me stronger and gave me a
better idea of the value af things."
A poetic Allan Davis, Australian master of the bon mots, expressed
Liberty Seguros’s joy on the day. “Yeah, Manolo Saíz is not here,
but Marino Lejarreta is and he’s really happy. Manolo...he’ll be happy
as a pig in shit!”
Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, January 22, 2005
Stage 5, Willunga – Willunga
Results:
1. Alberto Contador, Liberty Seguros
2. Luis León Sanchez, Liberty Seguros
3. Allan Davis, Liberty Seguros
4. Javier Ramirez Abeja, Liberty Seguros
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Race Report, Stage 11
Marseille - Montpellier, 182.5km
Alberto hung with the favorites in today's race into Marseille. Both
Mother Nature and the peloton put on the heat as high temperatures, wind,
and power riding at rapid tempos defined the day.
South African Robbie Hunter took the sprint win. In doing so, he became
the first citizen of Africa to win a stage at the Tour de France.
Contador clocked in with Hunter's time. He looks fantastic in the
white young rider jersey!
Alberto's Results
Stage 11 29th
s.t.
Young rider 8th s.t.
GC
5th 3:08
Young rider 1st
Alberto had a few reflections on Stage 9 over the Galibier.
"We pushed really hard today. Popovych, my teammate worked very hard
for me. In the end the group caught up, but all in all it was a good day
for us"
In reference to the stiff headwind and the puncture that handicapped
him on the slopes, he said "The conditions weren't ideal. I managed to
save time instead of gaining time and obviously there's still a long way
to go."
Contador has never voiced any aspirations for the maillot jaune this
year, but still, people will ask. "I don't want to think about the maillot
jaune, because I don't want to be disappointed...I just want to focus on
the white jersey, because I came here to get experience. It's a shame I
haven't been able to beat the favorites, but there's still a week left."
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