During much of the 2010s, Grand Tour cycling was headlined by a rivalry between
Chris Froome and
Alberto Contador, as the pair did battle for Maillot Jaunes at the
Tour de France and Red Jerseys at the
Vuelta a Espana.
Recently, via the
Geraint Thomas Cycling Club Podcast, Contador and Thomas reflected on the rivalry between Team Sky and the Spaniard. "It was a big, psychological battle," begins the Welshman with a wry smile. "All the pre-race races, being in Tenerife together, Froomey was obsessed with you (Contador ed.) as well. He was always like: 'Bertie's doing this, Bertie's doing that!' It was a good rivalry."
By the time of Contador's retirement in 2017, the Spaniard had added 7 Grand Tour victories to his palmares (2x Tour de France, 3x Vuelta a Espana, 2x Giro d'Italia), with Froome currently standing at seven himself (4x Tour de France, 2x Vuelta a Espana, 1x Giro d'Italia), just highlighting their stranglehold at the top of Grand Tour cycling over the era.
"It was always a rivalry with respect," Contador adds. "I remember one day in Teide, this day was hard! Because after three days, very hard training, I go: 'Okay, today, I will go easy with my mates'. Normally, in the last part of the training camp, I fly and my mates go to the car because they are tired. But anyway, I go easy and I see that Team Sky are there and I just think: 'Sorry, Chris Froome cannot pass me, even during training.'"
"I'm very tired, but I go full gas. 550 Watts and just full gas, full gas," the Spaniard laughs. "But these are the battles, even outside of the race. I think that you need a real rival if you want to improve your own level," Contador concludes thoughtfully.
Thank you Bertie and Froomeys for us to regain our passion since Lance issue but as well as Nibali, Quintana, Wiggo and G for rebuild for it that's why we have now Pogi, Vingo, Remco and Rogla.