Contador Raih Juara Tur Spanyol 2014

Alberto Contador Claims Third Vuelta Crown

Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi


Contador Raih Juara Tur Spanyol 2014
Kemenangan berada di tangan Contador, setelah tampil sebagai pemenang pada tahapan ke-20 di Puerto de Ancares yang berlangsung menegangkan (Foto: MailOnline)

Santiago de Compostela (B2B) - Alberto Contador untuk ketigakalinya memenangi balap sepeda Tur Spanyol (Vielta a Espana) sedangkan pebalap Italia Adriano Malori memenangi tahapan terakhir sepanjang 9,7 km berupa individual time trial (ITT) di Santiago de Compostela, Minggu.

Pebalap Spanyol, Contador, menyelesaikan waktu satu menit 40 detik di bawah Malori di lintasan basah karena hujan sehingga tidak dapat berbuat banyak untuk mengejar lawannya, seperti dilansir Yahoo Sports.

Tapi kendati ia kecolongan 27 detik oleh Chris Froome, ia dapat meraih gelar juara untuk menambahkan gelar yang diraihnya pada 2008 dan 2012, sehingga ia sudah membukukan kemenangan dalam perlombaan besar sebanyak enam kali.

Pemain dari Selandia Baru Jesse Sergent dan pebalap Australia Rohan Dennis, berada di urutan kedua dan ketiga pada balapan tahapan dengan pautan waktu delapan dan sembilan detik.

Tapi kemenangan berada di tangan Contador, setelah tampil sebagai pemenang pada tahapan ke-20 di Puerto de Ancares yang berlangsung menegangkan.

Sekitar dua bulan lalu, pebalap berusia 31 tahun itu baru mengalami patah kaki sehingga ia keluar dari perlombaan Tur Prancis.

Froome, juga mengalami cedera pada tangannya sehingga tidak dapat mempertahankan gelar pada lomba Grand Boucle, yang dimenanginya pada 2013, dan ia tidak pulih secepat seperti yang dialami Contador.

Perlombaan hari terakhir berlangsung kurang mulus karena cuaca hujan dan Malori, juara time trial dari Italia, mencatat waktu 11 menit 12 detik.

Santiago de Compostela - Alberto Contador said he was "delighted" after winning his third Vuelta a Espana as Italian Adriano Malori took victory on the final stage 9.7km timetrial in Santiago de Compostela on Sunday.

Spaniard Contador finished 1min 40sec down on Malori on the rain-affected course as he took no chances.

But although he lost 27sec to Chris Froome, he did enough to add to his 2008 and 2012 Vuelta victories, taking his Grand Tour successes to six.

New Zealander Jesse Sergent and Australia's Rohan Dennis were second and third on the stage at 8sec and 9sec respectively.

But the day belonged to Contador whose gritty win on Saturday's 20th stage at Puerto de Ancares set the seal on an incredible triumph.

It was less than two months ago that the 31-year-old broke his leg in a crash that forced him out of the Tour de France.

Contador admitted it had been difficult to come back from his broken tibia but he was determined not to let down his fans.

Froome broke his hand and wrist in a crash that also ended his defence of the Grand Boucle he won in 2013, but he did not recover as well or as quickly as Contador and had to settle for second overall.

While Malori, the Italian timetrial champion, set off and came home in 11min 12sec under blue skies, sunshine and on a dry course, that was not the case for everyone.