If there's any question about who is the boss of the Astana pro cycling team, consider Alberto Contador's performance on Sunday.
The Spaniard beat his nearest competitor by 7 seconds in the 5.7-mile Stage 1 individual time trial around Amilly to launch the 8-stage 2009 Paris-Nice bike race.
Contador has something to prove; it's that he's still the top dog on this team that includes the likes or Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer (who are not competing in Paris-Nice).
But Contador said he wasn't sending a message to Armstrong by such a decisive victory.
“We each have our own programme for the season. On my agenda, there is Paris-Nice and I do my best here, that's all.”
Past winner
Contador won this race — and the Tour de France — in 2007 for Discovery Channel pro cycling team, but was banned by organizers along with the rest of the Astana team in 2008.
He made good use of his time last year by winning the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
Now he's back to the Paris-Nice and the Tour de France, among other races. He says the goal on Monday is to “be attentive to defend the yellow jersey.” His Astana teammates might have to do that job all week.
Finishing second in the pouring rain was Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain) of Garmin Slipstream.
The Top 10
1 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin – Slipstream — 7 seconds
3 Luis-Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne — 9 seconds
4 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia – Highroad — 11 seconds
5 David Millar (GBr) Garmin – Slipstream — 14 seconds
6 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank — 18 seconds
7 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step — 19 seconds
8 Antonio Colom (Spa) Team Katusha
9 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha — 21 seconds
10 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis — 22 seconds
The four US cyclists, all from Garmin, in the race:
53. Steven Cozza — 42 seconds behind
62. Danny Pate — 46 seconds
115. Thomas Peterson — 1 minute
142. Christian Vande Velde — 1:15
More race reports and race results at CyclingNews and VeloNews.
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