Eventual Tour podium not for Samu
Samu would not celebrate if he was to be awarded third place in this year's Tour de France if the likely scenario of Contador receiving a ban matarializes. Speaking to DEIA, Samu explains why. "Alberto proved to be the strongest, and I believe in him", he diplomatically stated. "I believe in his version of what happened. If they were to remove him from the rankings I would be third, but I wouldn't consider myself as the number three in the Tour. (...) Whatever happens to Contador I will never see myself as third. I was fourth and I always will be. If I was to be third I would have had to hold off Menchov in the time trial and feature in the photo in Paris alongside Alberto and Andy." I for one would be happy if Samu was to be elevated onto the Tour podium. Sure it's nothing compared to actually finishing the race third and get to stand on the podium on the Champs-Elysées, but it would be justice.
3 comments:
That's alright, I can't wait for Samu to be on the podium NEXT year!
ironically enough, Samu's comments are much similar to Oscar Pereiro's remarks to the media after Landis' infamous "adverse finding" in the 2006 TdF- coming across as somewhat indifferent. understandably, there is little excitement to be awarded the podium (or even a win, for that matter) because a higher placed rider had struggled to make good choices, failed to do so, and was subsequently caught and sanctioned by the UCU, WADA, CAS, etc, etc.
it is no wonder that riders who have riden well and are talented in their own right would not want to be remembered in association with the mistakes of those others... and also downplay the talk of what could have been.
i agree with Josh- next year, Samu, next year.*
*with hopes that he is not forced to suffer through all three Grand Tours a la Carlos Sastre
Agree with you again Bike Master, I'm not at all pleased with Samu's comments. But it's what you come to expect from Spanish cyclists I'm afraid. I wish one of them had the balls and the etics to come out on the dopers for once and not defend them. The culture in southern Europe in particular is still bad, they've got a long way to go.
And, Samu has indicated he'll focus 100% on the Tour next year, so don't worry about Samu doing a Carlos. The Tour is likely to be his only GT in 2011.
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