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© Presse Sports
He may still have surprises in store for us, but with a second Tour de France triumph, Alberto Contador has moved up a gear. In statistical terms, he has joined the exclusive club of the great riders. On the road, he dazzled all his rivals with his talent in all domains, all the while keeping a decent margin of safety. Contador pulled off his performance in a highly competitive context which he handled serenely. All this at the tender age of 26 years, an age at which Miguel Indurain still could only boast a 10th-placed finish on his CV.
However, the insight into a possible "Contador era" that we were given on the Tour de France cannot really be compared with his illustrious elder's series of victories. In his body language and temperament, he is first and foremost a showman, as shown by the appreciation of the huge crowds along the road-sides, which was also a demonstration of the popular success enjoyed by the Tour de France in 2009. What's more, faced with his superiority, his rivals are not resigned to defeat, whether they are called Schleck or even Armstrong. The promise of forthcoming exciting battles, which will also be contested by new up-and-coming outsiders, is enough to give you goose-bumps.
The quality of the 2009 vintage was not merely encapsulated in the prestige of its winner. For example, the struggle to win the different jerseys has rarely been as eventful. Thor Hushovd took the green jersey by dint of racing intelligence and cunning as much as by power, whilst Franco Pellizotti picked up the polka dot jersey through perseverance and tenacity in the climbs. Lastly, the power demonstrated over the long-haul in the packed sprints leaves no room for doubt: with six victories between Brignoles and Paris, we are already in the "Cavendish era"!
Christian PRUDHOMME
Director of the Tour de France