Contador vs. Armstrong & Bruyneel: How Long Until The Spaniard Defects?

Photo courtesy www.albumciclismo.it

Johan Bruyneel went on record today with the world press saying that there will be no problems with having both Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong on the same team for the upcoming year. This comment comes on the heels of Contador saying that he would be unwilling to take a back seat to the Texan in this year's Tour de France. All of this is setting things up for a nice little controversy leading into the 2009 season.

Anyone, including Bruyneel, who thinks that Armstrong would willingly become a gregario for Contador and Astana are fooling themselves. Armstrong rides his bike to win, simple as that, and he is not making a comeback to the sport to ride tempo for another rider. Contador, like any rational thinking human, realizes this fact, and is beginning to explore his options for leaving Astana.

Bruyneel, ever greedy and power hungry, has somehow convinced himself that he will be able to retain both Contador and Armstrong for 2009. Nothing could be further from the truth. And Armstrong for his part is also trying to convince Contador to stay, realizing that if he had to race against the Spaniard he would probably not fare all that well.

As usual, Lance Armstrong has managedto undermine a talented rider with his own ambitions of greatness (Landis, Heras, Hamilton, Leipheimer). Contador has won all three grand tours and he is only 25 years old. His future as a bike rider is starburst bright, and he'll be damned if his Tour de France dreams are derailed for a second straight year. The saddest part about the entire situation is that Contador shouldn't even be in the position he is in. If Bruyneel had even a shred of class or loyalty, he would either release Contador or rebuke Armstrong's return to Astana. Instead, he blindly hopes to hoodwink Contador into staying with the Astana squad.

Contador is, without a doubt, the best stage race rider in the world right now. No one has been able to match him in a grand tour, regardless of whether he is on form (Vuelta 2008) or not (Giro 2008). He has proven himself almost unbeatable in a three week race, and he deserves the full and unswerving support of Johan Bruyneel and team Astana. Instead, Bruyneel tells the press that Alberto is under contract and can't leave the team.

However, who is to say that a rival team won't buy out Contador's contract and steal him away? For instance, wouldn't Bjarne Riis do whatever it took to secure the Spaniard for his Saxo bank outfit? If it meant fronting a few million euros to make it happen, Riis would not hesitate. And as for Contador, moving over to a team like Saxo would be easy. Like Astana, they have an internal anti-doping program, an immensely talented supporting cast, and top flight coaching. Bruyneel had no qualms about signing former Riis protege Basso at Discovery, assume Riis will feel the same way about pursuing Contador for Saxo.

The next few months promise to be charged with anxiety and suspense for Bruyneel and Astana, as Contador mulls his options. And despite the fact that he is under contract, Contador still must do all he can to sign with another team for 2009. His star is bright, but Armstrong's is brighter, and the Texan will be able to pull rank on Contador for as long as they are teammates, regardless of what Armstrong or Bruyneel say publicly. The time has come for Contador to leave Astana, and make them sorry for not treating him like the champion he is.