Giro champion confirms that Tour de France is number one goal at Saxo Bank presentation; trying to put CAS hearing in the past
Alberto Contador reaffirmed that his number one target for 2012 will, as usual be the Tour de France, as he spoke at the presentation of next year’s Saxo Bank team in Copenhagen, Denmark, according to feltet.dk. The three-time Tour de France winner, who won the Giro d’Italia this year, also spoke of other targets for the coming season; he also hopes to put his hearing at the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) behind him, where both the International Cycling Union (UCI) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed against his acquittal over his clenbuterol positive in the 2010 Tour de France.
"It's a really, really good team,” said the Spaniard of his twenty-eight teammates. “I have 100% confidence in them all. I am sure that this year will be a very good year for the team. We know the importance of a good program for the Grand Tours; I am confident that we will be very strong in all races.”
"The main goal is to win the Tour de France,” he confirmed. “I know it is very difficult. Everyone wants to win, but I will work hard for it.
“I don’t know if I can win or not, but I'll try."
Shortly following the Tour de France – where the winner often ends his season – will be the Olympic Games in London. Contador was part of the Spanish team that delivered Euskaltel-Euskadi’s Samuel Sánchez to his gold medal in Beijing in 2008, and feels that he might like to ride for himself next time. Also, as one of the strongest riders against the clock, the London 2012 time trial could also be temping for the Spanish rider.
"Why not try this new challenge in London?" he said, according to the Guardian. "It sounds interesting … if the possibility is there, I will give it a try."
The first hurdle for Contador to jump before he can think about either Tour or Olympics though, is the CAS hearing, where an unfavourable verdict could see him suspended for two years, lose the latest of his three Tour victories, as well as this year’s Giro and everything in between. The proceedings are over, but the verdict is not expected until the New Year; Contador is trying to put the case out of his mind.
"It was something that happened last week,” he said, “and now I will focus on what is coming up, the training camp in Israel."