Alberto Contador facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alberto Contador

Contador at the 2015 Tour de France
Personal information
Full name	Alberto Contador Velasco
Nickname	El Pistolero
Born	(1982-12-06) 6 December 1982 (age 42) Pinto, Madrid, Spain
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Weight	62 kg (137 lb; 9 st 11 lb)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-rounder
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France General classification (2007, 2009) Young rider classification (2007) 3 individual stages (2007, 2009) Giro d'Italia General classification (2008, 2015) Vuelta a España General classification (2008, 2012, 2014) Combination classification (2008, 2014) 7 individual stages (2008, 2012, 2014, 2017) Stage races Paris–Nice (2007, 2010) Tirreno–Adriatico (2014) Tour of the Basque Country (2008, 2009, 2014, 2016) Vuelta a Burgos (2016) Volta ao Algarve (2009, 2010) One-day races and Classics National Time Trial Championships (2009) Milano–Torino (2012) Other Vélo d'Or (2007, 2008, 2009, 2014)

Alberto Contador Velasco (born 6 December 1982) is a Spanish former professional cyclist. He is known as one of the best riders of his time. He won the Tour de France twice, in 2007 and 2009. He also won the Giro d'Italia twice (2008, 2015) and the Vuelta a España three times (2008, 2012, 2014).

Alberto is one of only seven cyclists to have won all three major cycling races, called Grand Tours. He is also one of only two riders to win all three more than once. He won the Vélo d'Or award, given to the best cyclist, a record four times.

He was seen as a top cyclist after Lance Armstrong. He won the 2007 Tour de France with the Discovery Channel team. With the Astana team, he won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, and the 2009 Tour de France. Between 2007 and 2011, he won six Grand Tours in a row that he entered. This included the 2010 Tour de France. However, he later had some wins taken away after a court case.

Contador was known for being an attacking rider, especially good at climbing hills. On his best days, he was also excellent at time trials. He was great at turning races around, like in the 2012 Vuelta a España. After his suspension, he won the Vuelta twice and the Giro once more. Near the end of his career, he won a stage on the tough mountain finish of the Alto de l'Angliru.

Alberto's Early Life and Career

Alberto Contador was born on 6 December 1982 in Pinto, Spain. He was the third of four children. He has an older brother and sister, and a younger brother who has cerebral palsy. Alberto played other sports like football and athletics. He found cycling at age 14 because of his older brother, Francisco Javier.

When Alberto was 15, he started racing as an amateur in Spain. He joined the Real Velo Club Portillo from Madrid. He didn't win any races that year or the next. But he showed great talent and was soon called Pantani. This nickname came from Marco Pantani, a famous climber. In 2000, Alberto got his first wins. He won several mountain climbing prizes in Spanish amateur cycling events.

He left school at 16 and joined Iberdrola–Loinaz. This was a youth team run by Manolo Saiz, who managed the professional ONCE–Deutsche Bank team. In 2001, Alberto won the under-23 race at the Spanish National Time Trial Championships.

When he's not racing, Contador lives with his wife Macarena in Pinto. He loves birds and keeps canaries and goldfinches at home.

Alberto's Professional Cycling Career

Starting Out: ONCE and Liberty Seguros (2003–2006)

Contador with the Liberty Seguros–Würth team in 2006

Alberto Contador became a professional cyclist in 2003 with the ONCE–Eroski team. In his first year, he won a stage in the Tour de Pologne. This was an individual time trial race.

In 2004, during a race, he felt unwell and fell, having convulsions. He had been having headaches for days. Doctors found a problem in his brain called a cavernoma. He had surgery for it. Because of the surgery, he has a scar across the top of his head.

Alberto started training again in November 2004. Eight months after his surgery, he won a stage at the 2005 Tour Down Under. He said this was the greatest win of his career. He then won a stage and the overall race at the Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme. He also won a time trial at the Tour of the Basque Country, finishing third overall. He also won a stage at the Tour de Romandie, where he finished fourth.

In 2006, he won stages at the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse. These races helped him get ready for the Tour de France. Before the Tour, he and some teammates were linked to a doping investigation in Spain. His team was not allowed to start the race. He was later cleared by the Union Cycliste Internationale, cycling's main organization. Alberto returned to racing in the Vuelta a Burgos. He crashed after a stage and briefly lost consciousness.

Winning the Tour de France: Discovery Channel (2007)

Contador wearing the yellow jersey during the 19th stage of the 2007 Tour de France.

After the doping investigation, Contador didn't have a team until January 2007. He then signed with Discovery Channel.

His first big win was Paris–Nice. He won it on the last stage. His team worked hard to wear down the race leader's team. This allowed Alberto to attack on the final climb. He held off his rivals and won the race.

In the Tour de France, he won a stage on the mountain finish of Plateau de Beille. He was second overall behind Michael Rasmussen. Rasmussen was removed from the race before stage 17. This was because he lied to his team about where he was training. Contador then took the overall lead and the yellow jersey. In the final time trial, he kept the yellow jersey. He won his first Tour de France by only 23 seconds over Cadel Evans. This was one of the closest finishes in Tour de France history.

Astana Team Success (2008–2010)

After his team closed, Contador moved to the Astana team for 2008.

2008 Season: Giro and Vuelta Wins

Contador wearing the pink jersey during the 21st stage of the 2008 Giro d'Italia.

In February 2008, the Tour de France organizers said Astana would not be invited to their races. This was because of past doping issues with the team. So, Alberto could not defend his Tour de France title. He still won the 2008 Vuelta a Castilla y León and the Tour of the Basque Country.

His team then got an invitation to the Giro d'Italia just one week before it started. Alberto was on a beach in Spain when he heard the news! Even with little preparation, he finished second in the first time trial. He took the pink jersey after stage 15. He won the Giro, becoming the first non-Italian to win it since 1996. He said this win was a "really big achievement."

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Alberto raced in the road race and time trial. He finished fourth in the time trial.

Contador wearing the golden jersey during the 20th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España.

Alberto entered the Vuelta a España as a favorite. He won stage 13 by attacking on the famous Alto de l'Angliru climb. This gave him the golden jersey. He won stage 14 and kept his lead. He finished 46 seconds ahead of his teammate Levi Leipheimer. This win made him the fifth cyclist to win all three Grand Tours. He was the first Spaniard to do it, and the youngest at 25. He also won the Giro and Vuelta in the same year, a rare feat.

Later that year, Alberto won the Vélo d'Or award for the best rider for the second year in a row.

2009 Season: Another Tour de France Victory

In 2008, Lance Armstrong announced he was returning to cycling to race the 2009 Tour de France. Armstrong joined Alberto's Astana team. Alberto was worried he might not be the team leader. But his team manager, Johan Bruyneel, told him he would remain the main rider. Alberto later said the media made the situation seem bigger than it was. He decided to skip the Giro to focus on the Tour de France.

Alberto started 2009 by winning the Volta ao Algarve race in Portugal. He also won the Spanish National Time Trial Championships. This was his first national title as a professional.

Contador wearing the yellow jersey leading Andy Schleck at the 2009 Tour de France.

Alberto won Stage 15 of the Tour de France. He rode alone to the finish, taking the yellow jersey. He then won the time trial on Stage 18. He won his second Tour de France on 26 July. He finished 4 minutes and 11 seconds ahead of Andy Schleck. He was 5 minutes and 24 seconds ahead of Armstrong, who finished third. Alberto had won the last four Grand Tours he entered. During the podium ceremony, the organizers accidentally played the Danish national anthem instead of the Spanish one.

After the Tour, Alberto and Armstrong had some disagreements. Alberto said he didn't admire Armstrong personally. Armstrong replied that a champion should respect his teammates. Alberto later said the experience was "psychologically tough." He felt like he was competing in two races: one on the road and one in the team hotel.

Alberto's agent said he turned down a new contract with Astana. He felt uncomfortable between the team owners and manager. But he was still under contract until the end of 2010.

2010 Season: A Controversial Tour Win

Contador wearing the yellow jersey following Andy Schleck on the Col du Tourmalet during the 2010 Tour de France. He was later stripped of this title.

In February, Alberto won his first race of 2010, the Volta ao Algarve. In March, he won his second Paris–Nice. He attacked on a hilltop finish to secure the yellow jersey.

Alberto was a favorite for the Tour de France, along with Andy Schleck. On Stage 15, Schleck was leading when his bike chain came off. Alberto and another rider immediately attacked. They gained time on Schleck. Alberto, who now had an eight-second lead, received a mixed reaction from the crowd. Some people whistled when he got the yellow jersey. This was unusual. Schleck said he thought Alberto's actions were unsporting. Alberto later apologized on his YouTube channel. Five days later, Alberto beat Schleck again in the time trial. Alberto won the Tour de France for the third time, by 39 seconds over Andy Schleck. This was the exact time he gained on Stage 15. This win was later taken away due to a doping suspension.

Saxo Bank Team (2011–2016)

Alberto signed a two-year contract with Saxo Bank–SunGard for the 2011 season. His team manager, Bjarne Riis, hoped Alberto could win all three Grand Tours in one season. This had never been done before.

2011 Season: Giro Win and Tour Challenge

Contador, wearing the maglia rosa as the winner of the 2011 Giro d'Italia, in Milan. He was later stripped of this title.

Despite ongoing discussions about a past issue, Alberto won the Vuelta a Murcia. He won the overall race and two stages. He also won the Volta a Catalunya and a time trial in the Vuelta a Castilla y León.

Alberto raced in the Giro d'Italia. He won the ninth stage on Mount Etna. This was his first stage win in the Giro. He took the overall lead and the points classification lead. He increased his lead to 3 minutes over Vincenzo Nibali. He won the race for the second time, finishing 6 minutes ahead of Michele Scarponi. He also won the points classification. This was his sixth Grand Tour win in a row.

Alberto decided to race the Tour de France, even though a court case was coming up. He wanted to be the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win both the Giro and Tour in the same year.

In the Tour, Alberto had a tough start. He crashed and lost time in the opening stages. He crashed four times in the first nine days, hurting his knee. He struggled in the mountain stages. He finished fifth overall, 3 minutes and 57 seconds behind the winner, Cadel Evans. This ended his streak of winning six Grand Tours in a row.

2012 Season: Return to Racing and Vuelta Victory

Alberto started 2012 with no final decision in his case. He finished second in the Tour de San Luis. On 6 February, he was officially suspended. His wins from the 2010 Tour de France and 2011 Giro d'Italia were taken away. He was suspended until 5 August.

On 8 June, it was announced that Alberto would rejoin Saxo Bank–Tinkoff Bank after his ban. He signed a contract until the end of 2015. After his suspension, Alberto raced in the Eneco Tour to prepare for the Vuelta a España. He finished fourth overall.

Alberto was the leader for his team in the Vuelta. He attacked many times in the mountains, but the race leader, Joaquim Rodríguez, always countered him. However, his luck changed on the seventeenth stage. He attacked and rode alone up the final climb. Alberto won the stage and took the lead from Rodríguez. He kept the lead and won his second Vuelta victory.

Alberto also raced in the UCI Road World Championships. He finished ninth in the time trial. Days later, he won the Milano–Torino race. This was his first time winning a one-day race. He dedicated the win to a young cyclist who had recently died.

2013 Season: A Challenging Year

Contador with Chris Froome at the 2013 Tour de France

In 2013, Alberto's only win was a stage in the Tour de San Luis. He got sick during the Tirreno–Adriatico race, which affected his training. He finished fifth in the Tour of the Basque Country. He was not in his best shape for the Tour de France. He couldn't keep up with Chris Froome and finished fourth. After the Tour, his team's main sponsor criticized his riding. But Alberto stayed loyal to the team.

2014 Season: Back to Winning Form

Contador at the 2014 Critérium du Dauphiné

After a tough 2013, Alberto worked to get back to his winning form. He showed improvement at the Volta ao Algarve, winning a stage and finishing second overall.

His next race was Tirreno–Adriatico. He won two stages in a row and took the overall lead. He kept his lead and won the race by over two minutes. He then finished second in the Volta a Catalunya.

Alberto's next goal was the Tour of the Basque Country. He battled with Alejandro Valverde and won the first stage, taking the yellow jersey. He kept the lead and won the race. For his final preparation for the Tour de France, Alberto raced the Critérium du Dauphiné. He showed he could keep up with Froome, finishing second in a stage. He took the yellow jersey in the queen stage. However, he lost the lead on the next stage and finished second overall.

Contador after his 2014 Tour de France crash, going to a medical facility with crutches

In the Tour de France, Alberto was in much better form. But he crashed heavily on a descent in the tenth stage. He tried to keep riding for about 20 km but had to quit the Tour. He initially said he wouldn't race the Vuelta a España, but he changed his mind.

His Vuelta started well. He stayed with the main contenders in the mountains. He showed his improving form by attacking and dropping rivals on a mountain stage. He took the red jersey (leader's jersey) in the individual time trial. He defended his lead on tough mountain stages, winning two stages and strengthening his hold on the red jersey. He won his third Vuelta.

During the Vuelta, Alberto said he would not race the UCI Road World Championships. He felt the course didn't suit him. He crashed in the Giro di Lombardia, hurting his knee. This ended his season.

2015 Season: Giro-Tour Double Attempt

Alberto Contador at the 2015 Vuelta a Andalucía

For 2015, Alberto announced he would try to win both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. This had not been done since Marco Pantani in 1998. He started his season at the Vuelta an Andalucía, finishing second overall. He also finished fifth at Tirreno–Adriatico and fourth at the Volta a Catalunya. He crashed in the Volta a Catalunya but was able to continue. Days before the Giro, he said he was ready.

Contador wearing the maglia rosa at the 2015 Giro d'Italia

At the Giro d'Italia, Alberto's team did well in the opening team time trial. He took the maglia rosa (pink jersey) on stage 5. However, on stage 6, he dislocated his shoulder after a crash. He finished the stage but dislocated it again before the podium. Despite this, he continued in the race. On stage 13, he crashed again and lost the pink jersey. But the next day, in a long individual time trial, he rode very well. He took back the pink jersey and gained a lot of time on his rivals. He won the overall race by 1:53 over Fabio Aru. With this win, Alberto joined Bernard Hinault as the only cyclists to have won multiple times in each of the Grand Tours.

To prepare for the Tour, Alberto won the Route du Sud. His main rival there was Nairo Quintana, who he would also face in the Tour de France. Alberto had a good start to the Tour. But he struggled on the first mountain finish, losing 3 minutes to Chris Froome. This hurt his chances of winning. He crashed again on stage 17. He lost over 2 minutes to Froome and Quintana. He couldn't recover from his crashes and the effort of the Giro. Alberto finished the Tour de France in fifth place. Even though he didn't win both races, he said he had no regrets. He learned that doing the "double" is "really complicated."

After the Tour, Alberto planned to race the Clásica de San Sebastián but had to cancel due to sickness. This ended his 2015 season.

2016 Season: Postponing Retirement

In March 2015, Alberto signed a contract extension with his team, Tinkoff. But he also said that 2016 would be his last season. He started 2016 by finishing third overall at the Volta ao Algarve and winning the final stage. He then finished second in Paris–Nice and the Volta a Catalunya. He won the overall race and a time trial stage at the Tour of the Basque Country. After this, he said he would race for at least another year.

Alberto had a difficult start to the Tour de France. He crashed in the early stages and lost time. He was in 20th place before the ninth stage. He tried to join a breakaway but had to quit the race due to a fever. In August, Alberto won the overall race at the Vuelta a Burgos. He finished fourth at the Vuelta a España.

Final Season: Trek–Segafredo (2017)

Contador during the 2017 Paris–Nice

During the 2016 Tour de France, it was reported that Alberto would race for Trek–Segafredo in 2017. This was confirmed in September. This would be his final season as a professional cyclist.

In February, Alberto finished second in the Vuelta an Andalucía, just one second behind Alejandro Valverde. In March, he almost won Paris–Nice again. He trailed by 31 seconds but attacked on the final day. He finished second by only two seconds. Later that month, he finished second overall at the Volta a Catalunya. In April, he finished second overall at the Tour of the Basque Country.

In July, Alberto rode the Tour de France for the last time. He finished ninth overall. In August, Alberto rode the Vuelta a España, which was his final race. He rode aggressively, looking for a stage win. He placed fifth overall and won the combativity award. He also won the final mountain stage on the famous Alto de l'Angliru.

Alberto Contador raced his very last professional road race, the Japan Cup criterium, on 21 October 2017.

About Alberto's Doping Cases

Operación Puerto Investigation

In 2006, before the Tour de France, Alberto and five teammates were not allowed to race. This was because of a doping investigation in Spain called Operación Puerto doping case. Alberto and four teammates were later cleared of all charges by Spanish courts. They were also cleared by the UCI. They received a document saying there were no charges against them.

In 2006, a document from the investigation mentioned the initials "A.C." with a note. These initials were linked to a rider who later admitted to doping. Alberto was questioned by a judge in December 2006. He said he didn't know the doctor involved. He also refused a DNA test.

In 2007, a French newspaper reported that Alberto's name appeared in other documents from the investigation. Alberto denied the accusations. He said, "I was in the wrong team at the wrong time and somehow my name got among the documents." He publicly stated he was a clean rider.

2010 Tour de France Case

After the 2010 Tour de France, Alberto was suspended from racing. This didn't affect him right away as his racing season was over.

In January 2011, the Spanish Cycling Federation suggested a one-year ban. But they later accepted Alberto's appeal and cleared him. Alberto started racing again in February. The UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed this decision. The case went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Alberto was allowed to race until the CAS made its decision.

On 6 February 2012, the CAS ruled against Alberto. He was stripped of his 2010 Tour de France title. His results since that race, including his 2011 Giro d'Italia win, were also taken away. He was suspended until August 2012. The next day, his contract with Team Saxo Bank was ended.

Life After Racing

After retiring from racing, Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso started a bicycle company called Aurum bikes in 2020.

In 2018, Alberto joined the television channel Eurosport as a cycling commentator.

Career achievements

Major results

Awards

• Vélo d'Or: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014

See Also

In Spanish: Alberto Contador para niños