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Contador wins Tour de France

Author: Sir David Smith
Date: 28/07/2009

The 96th Tour de France finished in Paris on Sunday with Spain's Alberto Contador, who had been the online favourite to win the event, confirming his status as the world's leading cyclist.

The 26-year-old was always in control this time around, as he eased to a second Tour win in three years, finishing four minutes and 11 seconds clear of second-placed Andy Schleck.

Contador did damage in the mountains and also in the individual time trial and even coped with the unwanted circus which followed his Astana team-mate Lance Armstrong around throughout the three weeks.

He is now hotly tipped to go on and win further Tour titles, having won all four of his last four major races - including both the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana in 2008.

Contador's main day on the Tour this time around came with Stage 15 from Pontarlier to Verbier, with the Spaniard roaring clear of the field up the final climb to take well over two minutes out of Schleck and more than a minute-and-a-half from Armstrong.

The King of the Mountains honours went to Italy's Franco Pellizotti, the first winner of the polka dot jersey from his country in 17 years.

British cycling fans also had plenty to celebrate in 2009, with both Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish making history.

Will Bradley Wiggins be able to do even better in next year's Tour de France? - Latest Cycling Betting

Olympic gold medallist Wiggins equalled the best-ever finish by a British rider by ending fourth in the general classification - the same mark that Robert Millar managed in 1984, when he was also crowned the King of the Mountains.

Wiggins showed previously untapped reserves to keep up with the leaders in the mountains and came within a few seconds of securing an historic podium finish, giving much hope for an even stronger challenge in the future.

However, it was Cavendish who hit the headlines with a peerless display of sprinting - claiming six stage wins including the final stage ending on the Champs Elysees.

In doing so the 24-year-old Manx Missile became the most successful British cyclist in the history of the Tour, surpassing Barry Hoban's mark of eight stage wins in only his second year in the race.

Cavendish was unbeatable when delivered to the front of the peloton by his Columbia colleagues, with Mark Renshaw doing a fantastic job as the lead-out man.

The only black mark for Cavendish was his failure to land the Green Jersey, with Thor Hushovd finishing ten points clear of his sprint rival.

However, Cavendish was only denied the overall honours due to his exclusion from Stage 14 for having forced Hushovd too close to a crash barrier near the finishing line.

Without that disqualification Cavendish's Tour would have been perfect, but at least he still has something to aim for in 2010.

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