Cycling: Contador loses more time to key rivals

LES ESSARTS: Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador’s disappointing start to the defence of his yellow jersey continued when the Spaniard lost more time to key rivals. A day after losing one minute 14 seconds to Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck and one minute 17 seconds to Australian Cadel Evans when he got caught up in a crash nine km from the stage finish, Contador dropped more time on the 23-km team time trial. Norwegian Thor Hushovd took possession of the yellow jersey from Philippe Gilbert of Belgium when his Garmin-Cervelo team dominated the race against the clock in a time of 24 minutes 48 seconds. Contador’s Saxo Bank team could only finish eighth at 28 seconds, leaving the Spanish all-rounder 75th overall at one minute 42 seconds adrift of Hushovd.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2011.