Alberto Contador is set to retire after this year’s Vuelta a España, the two-time Tour de France winner has announced.
The 34-year-old Spaniard, currently riding for Trek-Segafredo, posted a video on his Instagram account today announcing the race in his home country will be his final race as a professional cyclist.
Contador, who is one of just six riders to have won the three Grand tours – the Tour de France, the Vuelta, and Giro d’Italia, won the Tour de France in 2007 and 2009, but he was stripped of his 2010 title for a doping offence.
In a short video on Instagram, he said: “I’m doing this video to inform you about two things: one is that I will participate in the next Vuelta a Espania from August 19, and the second is that that this will be my last race as a professional cyclist.
“I say this happy, without sadness. It’s a decision that I have thought through very well, and I don’t think there is a better farewell than in the home race and in my own country. I’m sure they will be three wonderful weeks enjoying all your affection, and I’m eager that they come.
“Greetings and see you on the road from August 19.”
Contador, whose nickname is El Pistolero, turned professional in 2003. He is famed as a formidable climber and attacking rider, who was also at one time a great Time Triallist.
Following his 2010 Tour de France win he tested positive for Clenbuterol. He was suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and stripped of that title.
19 thoughts on “Alberto Contador announces his retirement from professional cycling”
After all those years of
After all those years of strict diet and training I’m sure he’s looking forward to the freedom that retirement will bring.
Time to enjoy some steak dinners!
I’ll miss his attacks which
I’ll miss his attacks which animate a race and his style on a bike… Contador is/was a ‘great’ bike rider regardless of any dodgy steak or dubious associations. I hope he finds a stage win at the Vuelta 🙂
Thank fook, no more
Thank fook, no more ridiculous stories about how he broke his leg (it was a minor fracture) and getting his doctor to come out with a statement about such saying how he’d never seen a recovery like it because he was on a bike 2 weeks later. Laughable nonsense that no other rider seemed to come out with.
Sure he was a very good rider but if people think that his other titles aren’t tainted, well, make your own mind up. Might as well do the honest thing and strip all the titles a la Armstrong.
Bye-bye Bertie.
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
Unless the definition has changed since I did my training, a fracture and a break of the bone are one and the same thing! That’s like saying “he did not rip that page, he only tore it”
ClubSmed wrote:
it was the making a big deal out of a tiny fracture, feeling the need to get his doctor to release the statement and all the BS surrounding how serious it was. A clean break is not the same as a fracture. HTH
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
Another day, another subject you clearly don’t understand.
A break is a fracture.
A ‘clean break’ is a fracture.
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:
Nope, that was actually very unhelpful and misinformed.
A break is the same as a fracture though there are different classifications, the words are interchangeable. For example:
A clean break is the same as a clean fracture
A hairline break is the same as a hairline fracture
A compound break is the same as a compound fracture
A greenstick break is the same as a greenstick fracture
A spiral break is the same as a spiral fracture
I could go on but I think my point is clear enough already.
Hope that helps
A sad loss and a thoroughly
A sad loss and a thoroughly nice guy. I’ll be in the minority here, but knowing the Spanish, I could see how contaminated meat could have entered the market place. Fair play to the guy, he didn’t fight the ban after it was issued, he didn’t continue protesting his innocence, unlike some.
I think we’ve got a future champion in the making in the ranks of Fundacion Contador. He does a lot of work with young riders. Good on him for being positive when there are many around who want to destroy.
Keep up the good work Alberto.
Good riddence – so happy that
Good riddence – so happy that the old and tainted cheats like him and Wiggins are fading away from the sport I love.
Kadinkski wrote:
Wiggins is a cheat? I’m sure his lawyers would be interested to hear you repeat that.
Correct, a break = a fracture
Correct, a break = a fracture.
Although there are degrees of broken-ness: hairline, stress, comminuted, compound, etc.
Declaration: 23 years as a Dr.
He was banned for drugs, so
He was banned for drugs, so we can say he’s a cheat. The moment that sticks in my mind is him blowing the time trial specialists away around Lake Annecy.
Sorry, it’s obvious that he took drugs, like many others. Even if he stopped, do we know whether the lasting effects made him perform better? Can anyone be sure that he’ll be clean on the Vuelta?
HarrogateSpa wrote:
No we can’t be sure that he’ll be clean – he’s a convicted drugs cheat, why would anyone believe a word he says? He can fuck off and die as far as I’m concerned – a disgusting low-life cheat.
Kadinkski wrote:
I wish you would.
HarrogateSpa wrote:
Double post
Everyone will miss a good
Everyone will miss a good villain; like Alan Rickman.
Doc Tracey. Like it.
Doc Tracey. Like it.
Sport = drugs. They are still
Sport = drugs. They are still all winners, even Armstrong IMO.
Read the interview with the guy that doped up Marion Jones. He reckons EVERYONE in athletics is doped.
Pin to win.
Yorkshire wallet wrote:
Yup and the sooner people realise that, and get over it, the better.
If you’re still watching professional sport in the belief that all athletes are clean, especially our beloved cyclists, then you’re kidding yourself.