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Contador “I’m only thinking about recapturing the Tour victory”Josu Garai of MARCA interviews the best cyclist of 2007Alberto Contador, by virtue of his triumph in the Tour de France, and his victories in Valencia (a stage), Paris-Nice (two stages and the final GC), and Castilla y León (a stage and the final GC), has become the cyclist of the year. Considering his palmarés and the fact that he just turned 25 last December 6, the man from Madrid could well dominate the next decade. Winning the Tour has been a dream come true, no?When I was a boy, my dream was to be a professional. Soon, as time went by, I started to dream about riding the Tour, and finally, about winning it. I’ve had the luck to achieve it at 24 years old, already I’ve started dreaming about going back to win it again.You’re not considering other challenges?So far, no. My goal is to try to recapture the title. If I didn’t think that way, it wouldn’t go well, would it? I know it’s hard, because it’s the most important race in the world and everybody wants to be brilliant, but I’ll be at the start line thinking about regaining the title. I have confidence in myself and my team, in which both Leipheimer and Klöden also have chances.Let’s talk about that, about Leipheimer and Klöden. Won’t there be too many roosters in the hen house? People said that this year when Leipheimer and I signed with Discovery Channel, and everything has gone well. Levi sacrificed for me in Paris-Nice and in Castilla y León, he mortgaged his options to help me. And then in the Tour he stayed on the margin. I know there'll be no problem with him and I hope it happens the same way with Klöden. I trust that we’ll all respect one another.That’s easy to say, but one of these days, at the moment of truth, it may not be so easy.They have options, too, but I’m 25 years old, so it makes sense that I'll grow as a rider, and I already know what it is to win the Tour. I must be committed to them, and they must be committed to me. We must respect one another. In addition, to have two riders like them in the team gives you peace of mind because you know that if things don’t turn out well for me, they can try to settle it, too. But I don’t think about that: I like the pressure.You have more confidence than ever in your chances.That works like the chicken and the egg. When things go well, it gives you confidence, which makes things go better. The problem is that it also happens the other way around: when things don’t go well, everything falls apart. Still, right now I’m optimistic: I feel good, my confidence is strong, plus I have a team where I feel at home.Have you already started training?Yes, and from now on I’m going to follow a strict plan, like in 2007. I’ve been through too much commotion these days and now I’ve got to concentrate on the bike. I'm really motivated, and the truth is, I’m feeling pretty good.In between commitments, are you having a good winter?I’ve always been trying to look for holes in the schedule, to go out on the mountain bike or to do some walking. As I say, I’m really motivated on the road bike.
2008年01月01日 05点01分