With the 2010 Tour de France over, we once again crown Alberto Contador the overall GC winner in Paris as Mark Cavendish sprints to another top of the podium finish in Paris. Winning by the 4th smallest gap in Tour history, Contador edged out Andy Schleck by a small margin of 39 seconds.

The 2010 Tour de France was one of the more exciting races in recent memory. With the final showing my Lance Armstrong and the nail biting beginning stages that appeared to be riddled with wrecks, mechanicals and weather that brought much of the GC contention to its knees. As the competition unfolded, it was clear that we were going to have a shootout between two of the best climbers in cycling…Contador and Schleck. In the end, Contador proved that his consistency in the mountains is what wins the Tour.

Contador Wins Through Extreme Drive

Alberto Contador, while extremely motivated and talented, will never be the people’s champion. In a sport that is riddled with strong personalities and egos, Contador seems to rise above the rest in his pursuit of the yellow jersey. With his attack on Schleck during stage 15 and last year’s attack against his own teammates, Contador solidifies that he is out there on his own and he will win at all costs.

However, nothing Alberto Contador is doing is illegal in the sport of cycling. He often breaks the “unwritten rules” of the Tour, but they are just that…unwritten. He is the purest of competitors and for that…he gains consistency through results. At the end of the day, there are many acts and performances that lead up to the yellow jersey in Paris and racing will always be racing.

Contador’s Thoughts on the 2010 Tour:

“I realized early on that this year’s race was going to be very close and I had to concentrate at each moment,” Contador said. “There were moments when I wasn’t at my best and I know that by showing nothing and by bluffing, I won this Tour.”

“The truth is there’s a lot of emotion. I think it’s the first Tour to give me this much emotion. You can’t imagine how much I’ve given. Yes, there were few days when I wasn’t in my best form, and that might be why I’m so emotional.”

“The last year has been difficult for all kinds of reasons,” he said. “This year I’ve not been at my best all the time and that was the case today. But of course in the end I’m very happy with how the year has now turned out. All the victories this year have been the result of a lot of hard work. It’s been said that I’ve not competed in a lot of races but I’ve spent a lot of time away from home preparing for this objective.”

Asked why he had struggled, Contador said: “You never really know why things don’t work out as you hope after the preparations you’ve done. There are so many aspects to the sport that you have to take into consideration. Cycling is not like math. You can’t plan things exactly.

“But this year I’ve not been in my best shape. Today I didn’t feel too well. I didn’t sleep well and woke up with stomach ache, but ultimately the day turned out pretty well for me, although I suffered more today than at any other time this year.”

“Andy is a great rider and he is getting closer to me. We spend a lot of time together and I know his mindset and the way he works. I think he is going to be a major rival for many years to come. He’s very young and I’m quite young too.”

As well as happiness, Contador admitted to a good degree of relief having put himself right on the verge of securing a third yellow jersey. “When I started riding a bike as a kid it was my dream to win the Tour de France because it is the most beautiful race in the world. I can see what it means to so many people and I’ve felt under so much pressure, which comes not only coming from outside but also from myself. So it’s such a huge relief to have won the title.”

As for his future plans, Contador said: “I’m going to go away, rest and relax, and think about what I’m going to do in the future. At the moment, I’m evaluating several different options for next year. I hope to have a quiet winter, after which I’ll set my objectives. The Giro and the Vuelta might be a possibility for next year. As for this year’s Vuelta, I will rest and relax for a bit and then see how it looks with the team. However, the most likely scenario is that I will not take part.”

Time will tell if Contador can rise to the challenge of carrying the demeanor expected out of rider that dominates the Tour de France. So far…he sure has made it an exciting race to watch in recent years.