Chris Froome can't even beat a retired Alberto Contador! The Spaniard beats the Briton in their virtual duel
Cycling
The legendary rivalry between Alberto Contador and Chris Froome just got another chapter, this time in the virtual environment, at a special event on the BKOOL platform that brought together both champions with hundreds of amateur cyclists from around the world. The torch will soon pass to Remco Evenepoel, and the double Olympic champion will take over.
The unique event took place during a stage of the Virtual Giro d'Italia, where both were accompanied by a large group of cyclists from all over the world, who were able to pedal from the comfort of their homes.
Before the start of the stage, the two protagonists shared memories and anecdotes through a live Instagram feed, showing the camaraderie that characterizes their relationship after years of rivalry and brilliant battles on the roads. However, once the race started, Contador took the lead from the first kilometers, leading the peloton and making sure the breakaway maintained its advantage. He has definitely still got it!
Froome, meanwhile, took a more relaxed approach. "Alberto seems to be particularly motivated today. I did a four-hour training session this morning, so I prefer to take it easy and have a chat with you guys for a bit," the Brit said during his live broadcast. Froome is in the midst of preparing for his final season as a professional with the Israel Premier Tech Team, a partnership that has failed to deliver any big results so far.
Contador's excellent form
Despite the years since his retirement, Contador showed that he is still in excellent shape. Data from the BKOOL platform reflected his performance: an average power of 327W, peaks of over 600W and an average speed of 42 km/h. These figures underline the level of preparation of the former Spanish champion. During the session, Contador kept the energy high and motivated his followers with comments such as: "We are riding in the leading group! 360W, 380W, 400W... Not bad for our age, right? I'm going to push a little harder!".
The event was not only a demonstration of skill, but also a unique opportunity for amateur cyclists of various nationalities to share kilometers with their idols. Angel Luis Fernandez, BKOOL's Marketing Director, described the moment as an unprecedented achievement: "Seeing Froome and Contador together on our platform, sharing in real time with users, is a dream come true and a big step for virtual cycling."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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