Everyone who experienced, whether live or on television, the penultimate stage of the last Vuelta a España will remember it forever. It was much more than the last battle of Alberto Contador before his retirement from professional cycling; it was a demonstration of what it means to be a legendary cyclist. That final effort on the Angliru, with its hellish ramps, will remain etched in the memory of cycling fans, both those who follow road cycling and those who enjoy the challenge of MTB in high mountains.
The exploits of great riders transcend time. Contador not only stood out in road cycling, but his fighting spirit and ability to attack in the toughest moments is something that also inspires those who ride technical trails with their mountain bikes, facing demanding climbs and dizzying descents.
In a few years, few will remember if it was 20 seconds that separated him from the podium after one of the toughest stages of the international calendar. The numbers may fade, but the epic of Contador will remain forever. After fifteen years of career, the man from Madrid deserves his place in the select group of the greatest cyclists of all time.
We could give you many reasons to consider him a legend, but let's sum it up in five key reasons why Alberto Contador has left his mark on cycling, both in the world of road bikes and in the inspiration he generates among mountain bikers.
For his record
The Giro d'Italia in 2008 and 2015, the Tour de France in 2007 and 2009, as well as the Vuelta a España in 2008, 2012, and 2014 bear his name. And that should be enough to elevate Contador to the place he deserves in cycling history. But his record of triumphs doesn't end there, far from it. His prestigious career is completed by 8 stage victories in those three Grand Tours, the Vuelta al País Vasco in 2008, 2009, 2014, and 2016, the Milan-Turin in 2012, and the Tirreno-Adriatico in 2014. He adorns all this with victory in the UCI World Ranking and with 4 selections as Bicicleta de Oro for best cyclist of the year. To this must be added that he can boast of being the only Spanish cyclist to have won the Giro, Tour, and Vuelta, something that puts him on the level of supermen like Merckx, Hinault, Anquetil, Gimondi, and Nibali.
Because he took the pulse of the Tour from the very first day
Contador arrived at the Tour as a rookie in the 2005 edition, the year of his return to professional cycling after his serious surgery. It was a brave bet for him and for those who believed in him. Enrolled in the ranks of Liberty Seguros-Würth and only 22 years old, he was the second-best young rider of the carrera. And he got such a feel for the competition that in 2007, in only his second participation, he was already crowned in Paris. He did not win on his first appearance, like the legendary Eddy Merckx or Bernard Hinault, but his achievement is undeniable. Miguel Indurain, for example, took 4 years to hear the Spanish anthem while dressed in yellow.
Because not even a doping sanction could stop him
February 2012 only brought bad news for Alberto Contador, who was forced to accept a two-year suspension from the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) due to a positive test for clenbuterol. 50 picograms were to blame, although the rider's defense attributed them, unsuccessfully, to a contaminated steak. He was stripped of the 2010 Tour and the 2011 Giro by the UCI. The punishment, a blow that would have meant total emotional and mental collapse for another professional, became his fuel. Made of different stuff, he showed the world that he came back even stronger, achieving two more overall victories in the Vuelta a España and the 2015 Giro.
Because he overcame illness and celebrated it in the best possible way
There is no hero without tragedy. And Contador, like the truly greats, had his own fall and redemption. On May 13, 2004, in the Vuelta a Asturias, he fell to the ground due to a sudden dizziness and, while unconscious, suffered severe convulsions. His life was in danger. The cause was a congenital cerebral cavernoma, for which he had to undergo emergency surgery in Madrid for 5 hours. The huge scar he has carried ever since attests to the seriousness of the operation. For a year, Contador not only worked to regain a normal life, but also to return to the elite as if nothing had happened. 365 days later, the future champion was even stronger. So much so that, on the very day of his return, at the Australian Tour Down Under, he won the queen stage. Adversity turned into motivation and virtue as rarely seen in the history of this sport.
Because off the road he was always an example
Professional sports demand exemplary behavior from their idols when they are out of the spotlight. Pau Gasol shows it, Rafa Nadal represents it, and Alberto Contador has also demonstrated it since he began to make headlines and fill newspaper covers. The career of the native of Pinto in the media is an example of humility, moderation, and respect for his rivals. His social responsibility is also beyond any doubt, as demonstrated by the creation, in 2010, of the Alberto Contador Foundation. Its goal is to “raise awareness among the population and health authorities about the enormous social and health impact of stroke and improve the population’s knowledge about it", as he himself stated on the day of its inauguration. Research grants and cycling events to raise awareness about this issue are some of the measures taken by this organization.
