"Chris Froome was obsessed with you" - Geraint Thomas & Alberto Contador reflect on the 2010s biggest Grand Tour rivalry

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."

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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.

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