Sanchez may help Contador
ByReuters
Updated 13/07/2011 at 16:42 GMT
Samuel Sanchez and Alberto Contador are Tour de France rivals but the Spaniard is willing to help his compatriot and three-time Tour winner if national interest is at stake in the stages ahead.
Cyclists Alberto Contador (L) and Benjamin Noval (C) talk with compatriot Samuel Sanchez during the "II Criterium Ciclista Ciudad de Oviedo" cycling race in Oviedo, northern Spain October 30, 2010
Image credit: Reuters
Euskaltel-Euskadi team leader Sanchez, like Contador, lost crucial time in the first stage of the Tour and warned he would seize every opportunity to attack.
Contador is of the same frame of mind and collaboration between them is a serious option as they look to make up time on race leader Thomas Voeckler.
Contador sits in 16th place, 4:07 behind the Frenchman while Sanchez is 20th at 5:01 down.
"For sure we can be allies," Sanchez told Reuters in an interview before the start of the 11th stage on Wednesday.
"When Alberto attacks in the mountain, it's very hard to follow him, but if I were in a position to help him, I'd do it," he added.
Sanchez said a stage victory is his main goal on this Tour but he would love to avenge his disappointment last year when he was dislodged from the podium by Russian Denis Menchov in the last time trial in Pauillac.
Menchov is not on the Tour this year after his Geox team were not invited, making third spot a reasonable goal to achieve for the Spanish rider.
"It would be logical for me to finish on the podium but the Tour did not start exactly the way we wanted," said the 33-year-old.
"There was the crash in the first stage which cost Alberto and I to lose 1:20. But there is still a long way to go and we'll see if we can make up for lost time gradually and win a stage along the way."
Everything could change in the Pyrenees, where stage 12 heads on Thursday and in which the Spaniard will be almost on home soil.
"The roads will be lined with (Euskaltel) orange jerseys," said Sanchez, who has yet to win a Tour stage despite winning five in the Spanish Vuelta.
"A stage win in the Tour remains with you forever. And if it's in the Pyrenees, it's even better because we have lots of fans and it would be especially emotional."
In spite of his lacklustre first week, Sanchez is confident this year's course suits him and sees the Alps stages, even more so than the Pyrenees, as the decisive moment of this edition.
"I think the Alps will be decisive, especially the stage to the top of the Galibier. To me, it's the queen stage. It will make more difference than Alpe d'Huez," he said.
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