MONACO: CYCLING - Astana's Johan Bruyneel says there are no rivals within the team

Record ID: 1540005

  • Title: MONACO: CYCLING - Astana's Johan Bruyneel says there are no rivals within the team
  • Date: 4th July 2009
  • Summary: MONTE CARLO, MONACO (JULY 2, 2009) (REUTERS) (CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY) ALBERTO CONTADOR AND LANCE ARMSTRONG AT TEAM PRESENTATION, PAN ALONG ASTANA TEAM MONTE CARLO, MONACO (JULY 3, 2009) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ASTANA TEAM MANAGER JOHAN BRUYNEEL AND ALBERTO CONTADOR (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASTANA TEAM MANAGER JOHAN BRUYNEEL SPEAKING ABOUT CONTADOR BEING TEAM LEADER, SAYING: "That's because, simply because of the fact that his last three big tours, he has won them all and I know there going to be a lot of questions, a lot of attempts to divide the team or to create some polemics within the team. We will try to answer all those questions but we will stay focused on the Tour de France and this is the biggest event of the year, it's our biggest goal of the year and we are here as a team. We don't have any rivals within the team, the rivals are the other teams." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ASTANA RIDER ALBERTO CONTADOR SPEAKING, SAYING: "The mountain (stages) play a crucial role but it is not the only factor that will decide who wins the race." MONTE CARLO, MONACO (JULY 2, 2009) (REUTERS) ALBERTO CONTADOR AND LANCE ARMSTRONG AT TEAM PRESENTATION
  • Embargoed: 19th July 2009 16:59
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Monaco
  • Country: Monaco
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA1UWDDRCS4TFLPF8GGVILJQO9Q
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel says the team will stay focused and there are no rivals within the team.
    Hot Tour de France favourite Alberto Contador is concentrating on regaining the title he won in 2007 and not the issue of a possible power struggle with Astana team mate Lance Armstrong.
    The Spaniard was named Astana's leader for the Tour by team manager Johan Bruyneel last week, leaving seven-times champion Armstrong as one of his helpers for the three-week race which starts on Saturday.
    Speaking at a news conference in Monaco on Friday (July 3), Bruyneel said the team will stay focused and that there were no rivals within the team.
    "I know there going to be a lot of questions, a lot of attempts to divide the team or to create some polemics within the team. We will try to answer all those questions but we will stay focused on the Tour de France and this is the biggest event of the year, it's our biggest goal of the year and we are here as a team. We don't have any rivals within the team, the rivals are the other teams," said Brunyeel.
    There are still doubts as to how Lance Armstrong will perform on the Tour de France.
    Bruyneel, the man behind the American's seven Tour titles from 1999 to 2005, said Armstrong's programme was so different to the one he followed in his prime that it was almost impossible to tell what would happen when the race starts on Saturday.
    Armstrong, who returned to racing in January after 3 1/2 years in retirement, used to focus only on the Tour but took part in the Giro for the first time this year. However, his preparation for the Italian race was hampered after breaking his collarbone in a crash in March.
    The 37-year-old Texan also wished to be closer to his family, with his partner last month giving birth to a son, Maxwell -- Armstrong's fourth child.
    For a change, Armstrong will not have a whole team dedicated to him, as Spaniard Alberto Contador, the race's hot favourite, has been named Astana's leader on the Tour.
    Fans, critics and pundits should however have a first indication of Armstrong's form when he starts his French campaign at 1417 GMT in Saturday's 15.5-km time trial in the principality of Monaco.
    Contador was unable to defend his Tour crown last year after Astana were barred from the race following their implication in doping scandals, prior to the Spaniard joining the team.
    Instead, Contador won the Giro d'Italia and the Tour of Spain to become only the fifth man to complete the `Triple Crown'.
    Contador has racked up overall wins in the Tour of the Algarve and the Tour of the Basque Country this season. He also took two stage wins and fourth overall in Paris-Nice.
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