Lance Armstrong is going to gave to get past Alberto Contador if he hopes to pull off the miracle and win another Tour de France - and as of today, that doesn't seem very likely. Race leader Alberto Contador of Spain and Astana rides towards victory on stage 18 of the 2009 Tour de France, a 40km Time Trial around Lake Annecy, on July 7, 2009 in Annecy, France. (Getty Images) more pics » "Now I am more comfortable going ahead toward the GC," Alberto Contador said after the today's stage of the race. "This stage victory is very important for the overall. I ... Read Full Story

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, buoyed by his undisputed number one status following his rocky relationship with Lance Armstrong, hailed his new-look Astana team on Wednesday. The Spaniard insisted that the 2010 Astana model had "nothing to do" with the 2009 line-up, which catered for the high-profile comeback of seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong. "This year, the team is based more around me and that's thanks to Yvon Sanquer (team manager) and Giuseppe Martinelli (sporting director)", said Contador. "Last year, there were a lot of riders to dispute the big races and this year that is not so much the case." In ... Read Full Story

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador says the unusually cold weather in Europe is hampering his preseason training plans. The Astana rider said Tuesday his training so far has been "difficult to sort out." "The winter we've been having in Europe this year — and especially in my area — I can't remember one as bad as this one," Contador said of his hometown Pinto, which is south of Madrid and been hit by freezing temperatures and snow. But the Spanish rider still feels he's in good shape going into Astana's 10-day preseason training camp Thursday at Calpe, Spain. The 2007 and 2009 Tour ... Read Full Story

Two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador said Monday that 2009 has been his best year ever, as he received the award from the International Cycling Union (UCI) as this season's top rider. "I think this has been my best year ever, in terms of results rather than other circumstances, given the constant tension and pressure to which I was submitted," said the Spaniard. He was apparently referring to his tense relationship with his Astana teammate, Lance Armstrong, a seven-time Tour de France winner who came out of retirement to take part in this year's race. Armstrong left Astana this year for the RadioShack ... Read Full Story

PISA, Italy (Reuters) - Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has not ruled out the possibility of being a team mate of Lance Armstrong again despite their difficult relationship when both were with Astana. Seven-times Tour winner Armstrong has formed a new team, RadioShack, for next season while Spaniard Contador will remain with Kazakh-funded Astana in 2010, despite threatening to leave and opening negotiations with several other leading teams. Contador and Armstrong clashed over the role of team leader at Astana during this year's Tour de France. However, Contador said on Friday he had put their differences behind him. "I want to think about ... Read Full Story