But the now rival riders have once again found themselves joined in the world's biggest bike race, yet not by choice, but as two of the initial big favourites for this year's race who are already on the back foot after a disastrous second stage in Normandy on Sunday. Contador Tinkoff , 33, and Porte BMC , 31, who rode together on the Saxo team [now Tinkoff] in the Tour, are now both more than one minute behind the new overall race leader, Slovakian world champion Peter Sagan Tinkoff , Many other riders lost time in the stage that finished uphill, including Welshman Geraint Thomas Sky.
But Contador and Porte were the two highest profile losers of the day after seeing their race cruelled by the misfortune of a crash and rear tire puncture, respectively. Both will do well to remember that Colombian Nairo Quintana Movistar lost to Tour winner Chris Froome Sky in Stage 2 of last year's Tour, and in Stage 10 in before finishing second overall at Going into Stage 3, a For Contador, his demise was due to his second crash in as many days with km to go.
Worse for Contador, he landed on his left side, which impaired his ability to stay with the overall contenders on the hilly finish when the peloton he had been in was reeling in the remaining breakaway riders one by one all the way to the finish. I tried to minimize the maximum amount of time I lost.
Contador remained defiant from the corner he has found himself in, saying: "Cycling is like that, and the Tour is unfolding like that for me. Physically, it's a setback. I cannot pedal like I want to. Nevertheless, I know that's a consequence of my falls.
I want to maintain a high morale. I am still standing, but I am banged up. At least Peter [Sagan] won for the team today. Meanwhile, for Porte, his grief was caused by a rear tire puncture inside the last five kilometres, and on a descent when well-placed on second wheel while the peloton was close to catching the final breakaway riders. Since it was so late in the race, his team car could not get to him to change his wheel, as it was caught behind so many riders who were already dropped.
