Alberto Contador optimistic about the Vuelta a Espana’s second week
After missing out on most of the season, Alberto Contador of Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank is testing his legs at the third and the last Grand Tour race of the season, the Vuelta a Espana 2012.
The cyclist currently holds the third overall position after the Vuelta a Espana overall classifications and hopes to take his performance to the next level in the coming stages of the race.
Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver of Team Katusha is leading the category after the tenth stage with Christopher Froome of Team Sky Procycling 53 seconds behind at the third position.
The Spaniard is further 7 seconds behind the Tour de France runner up and is optimistic to cut down the lead on Team Katusha cyclist in the week ahead.
"We have experienced a few days with fatigue and tiredness but now the Vuelta truly begins," the 29-year-old said.
"I think the ITT and next the mountains will take its toll on the overall classification. On the coming stages the differences will be bigger than last week”.
"It's been a long period of time without competing for me and the parcours have so far been suitable for explosive riders," Contador continued.
"Now it will be suitable for me and the climbers. We're going into a terrain where I feel more comfortable".
Alberto marked his return to professional cycling at the Eneco Tour after serving a two-year doping ban.
He practiced hard the whole time to ensure a quick start right after his return to the sport which he managed at the Dutch race.
The cyclist occupied the fourth overall spot at the Eneco Tour after the final general classifications.
Contador finished 55 seconds behind the race leader Lars Boom of Team Rabobank with Sylvain Chavanel and Niki Terpstra of Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step securing the second and the third positions in the respective order.
Alberto has missed most of the major cycling competitions this year including the 2012 Olympic Games, the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.
Vuelta a Espana is the only important cycling race of the season and the Spaniard is well placed to fill his bag with a much needed victory at the current version of the race.
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