Contador looks cool in yellow and fast on RED

Monday, July 20th is the second rest day at the 2009 Tour De France and after his brilliant victory at the ski station of Verbier Sunday, SRAM RED-equipped Astana Contador now has the Maillot Jaune and enough of a lead in the Tour de France so he can relax a little before the Tour’s final week. As Lance Armstrong now supports Contador 100%, Contador chatted with journalists in a rest day press conference Monday:

Q: What was your emotion in victory yesterday?
Alberto Contador: I was very happy about how the stage happened; I thought I could be in this situation and I’m happy to be the leader of the team.

Q: Was Sunday was the key step toward a Tour win for you?
AC: Well it was good for the GC and we were able to make some important differences. It’s a big step towards a final victory, but there is still a hard week to come, so nothing is decided.

Q: So do you now have the 100% support of Lance Armstrong?
AC: After the stage yesterday, Lance said he would work to help me 100%. I believe him when he says that.

Q: Alberto, can you now ride more conservatively or will you have to attack again?
AC: I have a lead now that I can ride calmer. I don’t have to attack now. It all depends on how the race develops. If there’s an opportunity to attack, we won’t let it go.

Q: What coming stages are most dangerous, and who are your rivals?
AC: All of the next stages can be difficult, but I believe the most dangerous will be (Stage 17) to Grand-Bornand. It’s has a very hard climb (Col de Colombiere) and there might be a real battle on the climbs before that. So that stage is the one that I most worried about. Rivals? The rider that’s the strongest is Andy Schleck. But also, we have to be concerned about giving any rider too much freedom because they could become a problem.

Q: Is there less pressure in Team Astana after Verbier?
AC: Yes, things are clearer on GC now after Sunday’s stage. Polemics should be a lot less now moving forward, but that’s never been a problem. We don’t notice anything at the dinner table or on the bus. The ambiance is no different than any other Tour de France.

Q: Your family was at the finish Sunday; how was that?
AC: It’s been 20 days since I’ve seen my family, so having them at the finish line at Verbier gave me even more motivation to try to win. It was great having my family with me here.

Q: Do you fear Bradley Wiggins before of the time trial in Annecy?
AC: He was very strong yesterday and he was obviously strong at Monaco. He’ll be a big rival as we move into the final week. I’d like to distance him a little more if it’s possible.

Q: Do you have confidence that Team Astana will support you in the final week?
AC: I have full confidence in my team. They’re top professionals. Our relations aren’t as tense as the media makes them out to be. I believe we can finish this Tour without any problems.

Q: You could become the first rider to beat Lance Armstrong at the Tour since 1999, does that mean anything special to you?
AC: I haven’t really thought about that. Before, I was always watching Lance Armstrong racing on television and wondered what it would be like to race against him. So when he retired, I never thought we would race in the Tour together. I couldn’t have ever imagined that I would be in this position that I am in right now.

Q: So far, there have not been any doping scandals in this Tour, so are you happy to be winning a doping-free race?
AC: It’s good for cycling and the Tour de France that we’re only talking about sporting issues during this Tour.

Q: Do you believe you demonstrated yesterday that you’re the new boss of the peloton?
AC: Look, I’m absolutely the same today as I was yesterday and nothing will have changed at all.

Racing resumes Tuesday with Stage 16, another mountain stage, 159km from Martigny, Switzerland to Bourg St.Maurice, France via Italy’s Val d’Aosta.