"They didn't try to win it" - Alberto Contador still doesn't understand Del Toro-Carapaz stalemate in Sestriere
Cycling
Alberto Contador was an analyst throughout this Giro d'Italia for Eurosport and he was baffled by the tactics that followed the Colle delle Finestre. After the finale of the race, 'El Pistoler' continues to not understand Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz' unwillingess to work and let Simon Yates escape with the victory.
The two-time Corsa Rosa winner commented on Eurosport's La Montonera show that he didn't understand why the Mexican and the Ecuadorian didn't agree to try to catch him on the Finestre descent when both still had a chance to fight for the overall victory.
"They didn't try to win it. What I can't understand is that when one is losing first place and another is losing second place that they say, 'hey, let's do a team time trial, you and me, let's at least try to see how this difference is handled'. They completely stopped on the descent, I can't understand it".
After Del Toro's reluctance to work on the Finestre itself, Richard Carapaz who spent an hour attacking and trying to drop his rival - unsuccessfully - refused to work. In part, winning the GC would be virtually impossible as he needed to gain back time on Del Toro. But the Mexican's hesitation was the unexpected choice, as at worst, he could potentially lose his second place to Carapaz but would give himself a chance to defend the Giro lead.
None opted to work, and resigned for the minor podium places. That benefited Simon Yates, a rider who was already competing at the top level in the years where Contador was finishing his career.
"He was very close to getting it in 2018 and look he has been able to make up for it in the same climb, in a stage in which in principle he was not the big favorite, in that Colle delle Finestre and this great trophy has his name engraved on it," the Spaniard concluded.
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🗣️ La opinión de Contador sobre la estrategia de Del Toro y Carapaz en Finestre. #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/8bZLUytbVj
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) June 1, 2025
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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