“The impressions that remain in the retina of the spectators,” is what really matters, Alberto Contador commented on his overall Grand Tour wins
Alberto Contador was delighted after claiming an overall victory at the Vuelta a Espana, as he threw his arms in the air gesturing number seven with his hands.
The Spaniard has undoubtedly won seven Grand Tours throughout his career but two of his overall victories including the Tour de France 2010 and Giro d’Italia 2011 were nullified after his positive tests for clenbuterol.
Court of Arbitration of Sport handed him a two-year ban for using performance enhancing drugs at the Tour de France 2010 and the also stripped him off from all the victories since the 2010 version of the French race.
The case faced many hindrances and the final decision was made in February 2012, which came as a shock for the cyclist and his Team Manager, Bjarne Riis.
Contador continued training during the suspended time and his return to professional scene at the Eneco Tour clarified his intentions for the Vuelta a Espana.
He rode the seven-day event watchfully, ensuring his peak form for the Spanish Grand Tour and still managed to occupy the fourth overall position at the Eneco Tour 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," Contador voiced after winning the Eneco Tour.
"The whole last two years has been hard because they say everything about me without any limit”.
“Luckily, I have my family and my friends. Thanks to them I did not need to seek help from any professional. They are the ones who have given me encouragement".
While commenting on the doping ban, Alberto has always denied the allegations, stating that the substance entered his system through contaminated beef and he has always been honest with his fans and the sport.
"That other number appears on paper, it is ultimately secondary to me. What matters is my own feeling and the impressions that remain in the retina of the spectators," he said.
Technically, he might have been disqualified from two Grand Tour victories but in his mind Alberto holds seven Grand Tour overall victories at a very young age of 28.
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