Contador shows his teeth

Alberto Contador is alive and looking dangerous. Just before the Tour de France heads to the Alps for a trio of decisive stages - passing through Pinerolo today, the legendary Galibier on Thursday and daunting Alpe d'Huez on Friday - the man from Pinto attacked on Tuesday's secondary category pass from St. Paul-Trois Châteaux to Gapa and left behind Frank and Andy Schleck (by 18 seconds and one minute and six seconds, respectively) and French yellow-jersey-wearer Thomas Voeckler (by 18 seconds).

Finishing in 12th place, the Saxo Bank rider moved up from seventh to overall sixth after a stage that was won by Norwegian Thor Hushovd. The Spaniard was three seconds behind Australian Cadel Evans, who withstood his surprise attack on the last climb and so conserves a one minute, 57 second lead over him in overall second place. Contador's compatriot Samuel Sánchez also stuck with the attack and maintains his 16-second advantage in overall fifth place.

"There's only one person who can break the rivalry, and that is Alberto"

Contador will be looking for similar bursts of inspiration and strength if he's to continue making gains on the frontrunners in the Alps. The initial premise, accepted by everyone, including International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid, who passed by the Tour on Monday's rest day, is that the close rivalry among the top riders is the same as every year. "The only difference is that on other occasions Contador stood out from the rest," said the Irishman. "And this year, for various reasons, he is the same as everyone."

But as Bjarne Riis, the director who has to drive the three-times Tour winner as he crosses the Alps, puts it: "There is only one person who can break the rivalry by attacking, and that is Alberto."

The reasons to which McQuaid refers, apart from the fact he still has the UCI's appeal against his acquittal by the Spanish Cycling Federation on doping charges hanging over him, have to do with his participation and victory in this year's Giro d'Italia. The uncertainty over his future - the Court of Arbitration for Sport will report on his case the week after the Tour finishes - led Contador to decide last January to participate in, and win, all the races he can, without concerning himself with preparatory events. "We have spent the whole year like builders doing piecework, giving it all, every day," says Contador's roommate Jesús Hernández.

"That, on the one hand, puts his mind at rest now, because he has already had a very good year. But, on the other hand, it takes away his strength for the Tour." Having given it all since the beginning of May, in his best shape, he is paying for it now.

Winning the Giro and the Tour in the same year has become a titanic feat in modern cycling. However, the consensus also exists that if anyone can do it, Contador can. The Spaniard is also the only one who has it in his reach. "I am at another level than that which I was at in the Giro, which is not the right preparation for the Tour," says Contador. "You notice that when it comes to recovering. I don't have the freshness to attack anymore. Look how the others who did the Giro are..."

Three of the riders who finished in the top 10 in the Giro are in the Tour. Frenchman John Gadret, who was fourth, dropped out exhausted before the Pyrenees; Czech rider Roman Kreuziger (seventh) is some two hours off the pace. None of Contador's rivals for victory - Cadel Evans, the Schleck brothers, Ivan Basso, Voeckler - took part in this year's Giro. All have carefully prepared for this year's Tour.

"Despite all this," says Contador, "if it wasn't for the more than a minute and a half lost in the cut after the fall on the first day, I would now be on par with everyone and I would be able to go for the Tour on Saturday in the Grenoble time trial. But as it is not like that, there is nothing left for me to do than attack and recover that time in the mountains. There are three days in the Alps and they are three important days."

"And Alberto," says Bjarne Riis, "can do it. He gets better every day. I know it because in the Pyrenees he improved a lot from one day to the next."