Can Alberto Contador win his second overall title at Vuelta a España this year?
Alberto Contador is all set to mark his return to professional cycling in August after facing a two-year ban.
The Spaniard was guilty of using clenbuterol during the Tour de France 2010 and the jury was convinced that he cheated to enhance his performance at the race.
The cyclist has also been disqualified from all the victories since the 2010 edition of the French race which include overall victories at the Giro d’Italia 2011 and the Tour de France 2010.
The ban also prevents Contador from riding all the major cycling events of the season including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Olympic Games.
The only major race he is allowed to participate is the Vuelta a Espana 2012 scheduled from August 19 to September 9, 2012.
Alberto is training hard to catch up the lost time and his current form will only be witnessed during his return to the sport at the Eneco Tour, August 6-12, 2012.
“I do not know if relief is the right word, but I'm looking forward to competing because is what I like to do," he said.
"The whole last two years has been hard because they say everything about me without any limit”.
[Today] is an important day and I'm happy to be back competing tomorrow, especially in a race as pretty as the Eneco Tour”.
The 29-year-old is considered as a best stage-race cyclist currently riding at the top level of the sport.
Four overall victories out of five Grand Tour participations is his current record which clearly proves his calibre.
His four Grand Tour wins include one Giro d’Italia (in 2009), two Tour de France (2007 and 2009) and one Vuelta a Espana victory in 2008.
The 29-year-old will mark a return to his home Grand Tour after a long gap of four years and he is optimistic to register his second overall win of the race.
"For me it was very easy to stay on this team. I am also very grateful to all teams who have called me”.
“They respected my decision because what Saxo Bank and the other sponsors, with Riis at the front, have done for me is invaluable”.
“I am indebted to them and never felt out of this team".
The 29-year-old marked his professional debut with Team ONCE-Eroski in 2003 and stayed with the side by the end of 2006 season.
He penned a one-year deal with Team Discovery Channel in 2007 and stayed with Team Astana through 2008-10 seasons.
Contador joined Team Saxo Bank-SunGard for 2011-12 seasons and will join Bjarne Riis team after his return to the sport.
The Danish side had to ride without its star rider right through the start of 2012 season.
Almost 70 % of the total points earned by the team came through the strong legs of Alberto and his exit almost cost the team its UCI World Tour licence.
The team managed to secure a new sponsorship deal with Tinkoff Bank and is now known as Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank for the rest of the 2012 season.
The Spaniard will lead the Danish side at the 2012 version of the Vuelta a Espana and the team is optimistic that the end of Alberto’s ban will also put an end to its bad patch.
Contador will be accompanied by Benjamin Noval, Daniel Navarro, Jesus Hernandez, Sergio Paulinho, Bruno Pires, Rafal Majka, Matteo Tosatto and Nicki Sørensen at the Vuelta a Espana 2012.
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