Spanish two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has vowed to continue competing for at least another year after claiming the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco title on Saturday.
Contador, 33, declared last year that he would retire at the end of this season, but after his Basque triumph with victory in the time trial he said he would shelve plans to stop racing.
“After going round in circles, and discussing it with my family and my people, I have come to the conclusion that I enjoy what I’m doing and I’ll put the idea of leaving cycling to one side,” Contador was quoted as saying by Spanish daily AS. “I’ll continue doing what I enjoy and that day [when I retire] will come without warning. It sounds crazy, but since I announced I was going to quit I received an incredible amount of messages telling me not to retire.”
Photo: EPA
Contador has won all three Grand Tours — the Tour de France in 2007 and 2009, the Vuelta a Espana in 2008, 2012 and 2014, and the Giro d’Italia in 2008 and last year.
He won the 2010 Tour de France, but was later stripped of the title having tested positive for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol and got a two-year suspension.
The Spaniard had blamed the failed test on contaminated meat and denied any wrongdoing.
Tinkoff rider Contador picked up his fourth Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco title on Saturday after finishing first in the stage six time trial in 29 minutes 13 seconds, five seconds ahead of Colombian Nairo Quintana of Movistar Team.
That win gave him first place in the general classification, 12 seconds ahead of Colombian Sergio Henao of Team Sky, earning the Spaniard his first title this year after he narrowly missed out at the Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya.
“I have had a very tough winter and this brings me immense happiness,” Contador said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to