- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Alberto Contador in 2014 Tirreno leaders' jersey (picture LaPresse)Alberto Contador to be named winner of 2014 Vélo d'Or
Alberto Contador, who crashed out of July’s Tour de France with a fractured tibia then came back to win the Vuelta for the third time in his career in September, is set to be named the winner of the 2014 Vélo d’Or.
It will be the fourth time the 31-year-old Tinkoff-Saxo rider has won the accolade of the year's top rider, awarded through a poll of journalists conducted by French publication, Vélo Magazine, which is set to confirm the winner in its December issue.
Previously, he took the trophy for three years running between 2007 and 2009, making this his first win since testing positive – and subsequently being banned – for clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour de France, resulting in him being stripped of victory in that race and the following year’s Giro d’Italia.
Besides his Vuelta victory, Contador also won the Tour of the Basque Country and Tirenno-Adriatico during the Spring, although he would finish the season second to fellow Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of Movistar in the UCI world rankings.
At the end of what has been a particularly strong year for French cycling, the Velo d’Or Francais, for the best domestic rider, went to Jean-Christophe Péraud of AG2R-La Mondiale, who was runner-up in the Tour de France to Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali.
Instituted in 1992 when Miguel Indurain claimed the trophy, Contador will be the only man on the roll of winners to have won it four times.
One rider was awarded the Velo d’Or on five occasions, however – Lance Armstrong, who won it three times between 1999 and 2001, and again in 2003 and 2004. Vélo Magazine has since removed the disgraced cyclist from the list of winners, however.
Has the press got it right? We can think of a few other candidates who would have a strong claim – let us know your choice in the comments below.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- mdavidford 9 min 29 sec ago
Or, to put it another way, there was an 'a' in the day.
- brooksby 30 min 51 sec ago
Police investigate tractor that created ‘devastating’ wave in flooded UK town...
- mdavidford 1 hour 14 min ago
There's a few places clustered either end of the road that might potentially have CCTV (a few shops, garage, Orange Hall, surgery), but a much...
- joules1975 1 hour 18 min ago
Fair enough, but to describe the tool required for the lockrings as 'niche' when its a readily available in various forms from dozens of...
- Secret_squirrel 2 hours 12 min ago
Disappointed that the not even in the land of the free do they shoot or jail bike thieves.
- S.E. 6 hours 48 min ago
That made me think of that "Hot Fuzz" comedy movie... so many truths in it.
- Rendel Harris 8 hours 41 min ago
Good to see a V-brake option available for all those people who ride Cosmic Elites with V-brakes...seriously, you must know really that the answer...
- mattw 9 hours 19 min ago
Get thyself over to Buildhub - a community owned forum where I am on the moderation team ("Ferdinand") which is about self-build and renovation....
- Destroyer666 19 hours 23 min ago
Nonono, not those, but those that have constructed Italian cars and motorcycles that have been driven to hundreds of race and championship...
- RoubaixCube 19 hours 31 min ago
This may well be the case although Im unaware of the brands popularity on their home turf. I used to see them being advertised more in the UK...
Add new comment
9 comments
This in the face of the quantities found found were below the threshold and the conviction was based on suspected doping rather than any clear evidence, it was related to plastisizers present that indicated transfusions rather than ingestion.
Oleg Tinkoff also seems to have some very strong opinions on dopers and doping. Could be bluff and bluster, but as he's bigger than me I'm not going to ask him.
Finally, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we were to discover clenbuterol being used by Spanish farmers, I do believe there have been one or two cases unearthed. As we already know Spain not being caught supply clenbuterol into the foodchain isn't proof that it doesn't happen.
Great rider. Great style. The vuelta was the highlight of the season.
I have always been a big Bertie fan.
He's done the crime, he's done the time.
Is Millar still a cheat?
Enhorabuena maquina!!
So some doubt then and I'll stick to my original comment of "he's a cheat".
Contador was banned for a minute trace, many others tested positive and successfully claimed it was ingested from contaminated food. Consequently there is a threshold for a positive test. This could mean that if Contador's sample is tested again today for the same substance, he would pass.
OK, so this does not mean he is/was clean, but gives me reasonable doubt as to whether he did or not. Give the guy a break, if dirty he will f. up again... and I will eat my words
Nope. There has always been a threshold for clenbuterol. His sample being tested again now wouldn't change a thing. The athletes who have managed to escape sanction have linked their positive tests to food ingested in China or Mexico, both countries known to have a major problem with it in the food chain. The steak Contador claims to have eaten was bought in Spain.
The threshold was announced in 2011?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14952870
The Court of Arbitration for Sport felt that the positive test was because of a 'contaminated food supplement'
http://www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/document/5649/5048/0/Media20Release20_En...
How will the sport keep it's 'clean' image if known cheats continue to be honoured? Especially in the light of the recent research findings that show the PED effects last for years after use.
Did you read any of those articles? It was steroid use in mice, and the guy doing/involved in the research quite clearly stated about how the things they observe in mice don't always become apparent in humans.
If people serve the sentence that is put on them that is it, they're entitled to come back.