The First Endurance sponsored Astana Cycling team shredded the field on the mountain top finish at  Andorre Arcalis today.  After his team mates set a blistering pace up the final climb, Alberto Contador took off on his own in pursuit of the remnants of the early breakaway.  When the dust settled, Contador had moved up to second place on General Classification with team mates Lance Armstrong in third, Levi Leipheimer in fourth, and super-domestic Andres Klöden in sixth.  Another First Endurance sponsored rider, Tony Martin (Columbia-HTC) kept his lead in the young rider competition and is now in seventy place on General Classification.

Race Recap:

A group of nine riders formed the break of the day.  The group included Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel Euskadi), José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d’Epargne), Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale), Nocentini, Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas), Christophe Kern (Cofidis), Jérôme Pineau (Quick Step), Feillu and Johannes Fröhlinger (Milram) who built a sizable lead of more than 12 minutes over the first four climbs on the day.  Seen riding at the front were Team Astana work horses Gregy Rast, Dmitiriy Muavyev, Sergio Paulinho, Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia controlling the pace and keeping the team safe from mid-pack accidents. Armstrong appreciated the efforts of the team, saying, “The team is good.  You saw early on that the team was good, then there at the end Levi and Klöden were strong and obviously Alberto is strong.”  Laughing he finished with, “The team won’t be the problem!”

Once the leaders hit the climb the gap came tumbling down and splits occurred in the break as well as the peloton; most notable was race leader Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) slipping off the back to say goodbye to the yellow jersey.  Team Astana continued to drive the pace at the front, using up rider after rider as the finish line approached.   Feillu attacked his former companions with 6km to go and rode uphill at a steady pace, making a big statement about his abilities as a climber and taking a huge win in his young career.

Cadel Evans attacked at 2km to go with Contador immediately responding, as did Armstrong, Leipheimer, Andy Schleck and others, with the group reforming once again.  Then Contador attacked with a ferocious turn of the pedals that sent him soaring up the hill with no reponse from the other riders.  As teammates Armstrong, Leipheimer and Klöden sat on wheels while the rivals thought about following…..but never did.  Contador didn’t gain enough time to take yellow, but with two more days to ride in the Pyrenees and the top of the GC still dominated by Team Astana riders,  a strategic taking of the maillot jaune is probably on the drawing board at this very moment.

Contador’s fan base in Spain is huge and they appeared on the roadside in full force along the route on the first day in the mountains.  The fans chant a loud “Con-ta-dor” each time they see Alberto come out of the bus, take to the start line or fly up the mountain. He’s much appreciated in his home country.

GC After Stage 7

1 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
2 Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 6″
3 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 8″
4 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 39″
5 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin-Slipstream 46″
6 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 54″
7 Tony Martin (Ger) Columbia-HTC

The First Endurance sponsored Astana Cycling Team won the 4th stage in the Tour the France, a team time trial in Montpellier over 39 km (24 miles). In the process of winning today,  Lance Armstrong just missed taking another maillot jaune by tenths of a second to Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) who remains in yellow since his opening time trial win on Sunday. Standing proudly on the podium the nine team riders smiled widely as they accepted their flowers, medallions and the congratulations of an appreciative crowd.   With Cancellara and Armstrong tied, the next three slots on GC all belong to Team Astana with Alberto Contador in 3rd at 19-seconds back, Andreas Kloden 4th at 23-seconds off the pace and Levi Leipheimer rounding out the top five at 31 seconds behind.  Haimar Zubeldia sits in 7th, Sergio Paulinho in 11th and Yaroslav Popovych in 18th, putting seven of nine team riders in the top 20.

Garmin and Team Astana were even on time at the first check point, just behind leaders Caisse d’Eparge by seven-seconds.  By the 2nd time check Astana had grabbed the lead and were 23-seconds ahead of Garmin.  Still in front at the 3rd check point the advantage had gone down to 17-seconds where it held through the finish.  Gregory Rast and then Dmitriy Muravyev were the first team riders to drop off with the remaining seven powering on until the final kilometer when Yaroslav Popovych lost contact with the team of six.  With Armstrong repeatedly taking long pulls throughout  the stage, it was Contador who led through the last rise to the finish line with the clock stopping at 46:29 on the fifth man, who happened to be Armstrong.

Lance Armstrong Comments:

- Is this a bittersweet victory because of missing yellow?

“Yes and no. We did what we could. That’s cycling. We can look at each other and say that we did our best. The most important thing is that we won the stage and took time on the other rivals. I said it earlier to Alberto as well that it is so important that we take time to Evans, Sastre and the others. We were fairly successful. I wouldn’t like to be two minutes down right now.”

-The race was perfect for you and the team?

“We came last week to Montpellier to see the stage. Johan Bruyneel already had the order of riding in his head. We tried that order that day and we did the same today. Like usual, he was right. The result speaks for itself. You always feel that somebody is stronger than you. For me, if  I analyze our performance, I would say that Klöden and Popovych were the strongest, but overall the team was consistent. We were smooth. We didn’t make any mistakes. No mis-turns, no crashes, no flat tires.”

- After your return, did you expect to be so close now?

“No. What happened yesterday, you couldn’t expect that neither. It’s nice to be close, to win a stage, to win an event we like so much. We will see now.

This is a confession: 12 months ago I expected it to be easier, so yes, I expected it. Six months ago I did not expect it any more. I realized that it was harder than I thought. I was just disrespectful to Carlos Sastre or Cadel Evans. This is not easy at all. Today I am realistic. I have both feet on the ground. It will not be like in 2001 or 2005. It will be harder. That’s as honest as I can say it.”

- You came back after four years and you brought to the race in the last four days more spectacle than in the last four years…

“I think there was excitement the last four years. A day like yesterday was just a surprise. There were questions about the tactics of yesterday. It was just luck. Tomorrow Evans can be in the front and we might not be.”

- Are you one of the favorites now?

“I am happy with where I am. I don’t know if I’m the best in the race. I came in this race thinking that I would be one of the best, based on the trainings and tests that I’ve done, based on the trainings with Levi Leipheimer. “

- How do you keep the cohesion in the team?

“It’s not nearly as difficult as the media makes it up to be. The first week of the Tour the media have to find something to write about. In Monaco it was about Vinokourov and Bruyneel, yesterday it was about Contador and me. Next week it will be something else. In the mean time we just ignore those things and Alberto does that too. We proved today that we are just a good team. Most of this falls to the responsibility of Johan Bruyneel and our directors. They have to direct the team and the tactics and attitude in the team. We go forward with two leaders. I am confident we will find a good solution. “

- Now your team doesn’t have to defend the yellow jersey?

“There will probably be less pressure, but this will not change the race for us. We wouldn’t have tried to control the race tomorrow anyhow. The Tour will not be decided in week one but in part two of week three. “

- A few days ago the old president of ASO, Patrice Clerc,  said that your return to cycling brought with it the return of doubt.

“Was the Tour of ASO in a perfect situation when I was gone? He was the boss. Under his leadership cycling was not perfect. The question should be returned to him. “

Alberto Contador Comments:

- Are you happy or not happy because of missing the yellow jersey?

“I think that today we have to be very, very happy. We have distanced enough riders like Sastre, Evans, Menchov and even the Schlecks. It’s only a pity we missed the yellow jersey. Always you like to have the maillot and especially Lance, with what it means for him. On the other hand, this allows us to ride more relaxed.”

- How did you feel during the stage?

“I felt like I was one of the strongest riders but the course was not so good for me personally. It’s a pity that there were not more climbs. It was especially in the climbs that I felt comfortable.”

- After only four days, it looks good for the team

“For the moment things are very good in the overall, but it is necessary to keep concentration, because we have completed only four days, though it seems that we’ve passed a lot of days of the Tour. The coming days in the Pyrenees will be interesting. Our rivals will have to attack. We will have to be awake.”

Result Stage 4: Montpellier, TTT, 39km/24mi

1 Astana 0:46:29

2 Garmin – Slipstream 0:00:18

3 Team Saxo Bank 0:00:40

General Classification after Stage 4

1 Fabian Cancellara10:38:07

2 Lance Armstrong (Astana)

3 Alberto Contador (Astana) 0:19

4 Andreas Klöden (Astana) 0:23

5 Levi Leipheimer (Astana) 0:31

FIRST ENDURANCE was started by two racing fanatics (a cyclist and a triathlete) with a healthy obsession for sports nutrition. The idea was simple. Give endurance athletes access to formulas that are developed for one specific reason-to maximize endurance performance. First Endurance is committed to using only the highest-quality ingredients and uses the latest scientifically validated technological advancements. First Endurance proudly sponsors the Astana Cycling Team, the Columbia-High Road Professional Cycling Team, the Bissell Professional Cycling Team, Tina Pic (5-time Pro Criterium Champion), Heather Gollnick (5x Ironman Champion), Michael Lovato (2x Ironman Champion), Josiah Middaugh (3x Xterra National Champion), Sarah Haskins, Andrew Yoder, Julie Swail Ertel, Justin Park, Amando Lovato and Joanna Zieger (8008 70.3 World Champion). These athletes work closely with First Endurance on new product development, like the new and improved OptygenHP that will be introduced later this year. Input and trials from the First Endurance athletes allow our research and development team to continue to push the limits of endurance.

Alberto Contador, Andreas Klöden, Levi Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong took 2nd, 4th, 6th and 10th, making Team Astana the winners for the Team classification, a clear sign that the boys in blue are feeling healthy and ready to fight for a Tour win.  The first yellow jersey went to Cancellara as well, after suffering a tough early season but recently turning things around with a win at the Tour de Suisse.  Contador was first at the halfway check point on the summit of the climb, earning him the King of the Mountains polka dot jersey which he will wear on stage two Sunday.   Overall it was a smashing opening-day success for Astana Cycling Team, a position the team intends to improve on during the next 20 stages. “The mountain jersey is very nice, but I prefer to change the color in a few weeks,” smiled Contador.

After the race Contador said, “I am very glad with the result. I didn’t come here to win the stage but to go as fast as possible. I knew Cancellara would be to hard to beat. In the Tour of Switzerland he was already flying. I took not much time on the favorites for the GC but this is good for my confidence.” Asked about leadership for the team, he continued, ” I don’t want to talk about who is leader now in our team. Most importantis that I saw that I am in good shape.”

Starting just seventeen minutes into the event was Lance Armstrong, making his much-anticipated return to the Tour a reality at last.  Straight out of the blocks and up out of the saddle, Armstrong gave it full effort right from the start.  Showing steady rhythm and power on the bike, he looked entirely comfortable on his time trial machine as he methodically went about setting the best time in the early part of the stage, stopping the clock at 20:12 on the finish line along the port of Monaco.   But his top position didn’t last long as just behind him Columbia-High road rider Tony Martin (who’s also sponsored by First Endurance) quickly took over the top slot with a finish time of 20:05.

After the race Armstrong talked about the course saying it was “very technical, hard to find the rhythm but I am happy with the ride. I had no real racing after the Giro. It was a tough way to start but I am content about it.” Commenting on his ambitions coming to the race, Lance said, “I didn’t have big illusions. I didn’t expect to win or take the jersey. I was nervous which is logical. It’s been a long time since I was on a ramp of a TT in the Tour.” He continued, “I am happy and having fun. I really wanted to be here. What a beautiful setting here in the Principality. The people were great.”

Leipheimer then established the new time to beat at 20:02, making the top three Levi, Tony Martin and Lance in the opening hour of racing. Levi’s time held up for well over an hour until teammate Klöden became the first rider to go under the 20-minute mark with a time of 19:54, showing that he is another card the team can play in the three-week Tour.  Later in the stage Wiggins displaced Klöden with a new best-time of 19:51.

Alberto Contador set the fastest time at the top of the only checkpoint.  Riding for the first time in his Spanish national Time Trial kit won last week, Contador looked truly fast to the naked eye as he pushed over the pedals and chased Cancellara.  But the Swiss champion dominated his specialty once again and claimed the spoils in the opening stage of this year’s Tour. Other team riders rode well too, with Sergio Paulinho taking 33rd at 1:15 off the winning pace.

Top Ten Results

First Endurance rider Alberto Contador (Team Astana) is the new time trial champion of Spain. Contador was the fastest rider on the 47.8 kilometer long course between Torrelavega and Cuevas de Altamira. Contador (26) was challenged by Luis León Sánchez (Caisse d’Epargne) who had the best intermediate time – one second faster than Contador – after 27 kilometer. In the second part of the race, Contador could reverse the situation. At the finish, he was 36 seconds faster than Sánchez. Ruben Plaza (Liberty Seguros) finished third, one minute and 4 seconds behind.

For the Spanish champion, it is his first gold in the event as a professional rider. As U23 rider he won the championship as well in 2002.  Earlier this season, Alberto Contador won three other time trials (in Tour of Algarve, Paris-Nice and Tour of the Basque Country).  “I  needed an extra training on my new Trek time trial bike”, commented Contador. The best way to do that is in a race. Thanks to its distance this was a good simulation of the Tour de France time trial. My preparation for the Tour is done. I cannot complain. I am ready. This was of course not only training, I really wanted this Spanish title. I had to struggle till the end to beat Luis León. I am proud to be champion of Spain. I will show the Spanish colors for the first time in Monaco in the first stage of the Tour de France.”

Result Spain Time Trial Championship (Torrelavega-Cuevas de Altamire, 47.8 K):

1. Alberto Contador (Astana) 1.04.40

2. Luis León Sánchez (Caisse d’Epargne) 0.36

3. Ruben Plaza (Liberty Seguros) 1.04

4. Francisco Mancebo (Rock Racing) 1.46