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Contador wearing a tainted meat protector. |
However strong he may be, Contador's mental and physical strength will be tested in the coming months. Aside from competing against a strong field he will also learn whether the International Cycling Union intends to appeal the decision by Spain's national federation to exonerate him over a positive doping test. Spain has a repuation for rather lax enforcement and I believe the ICU will likely appeal the decision. This would all but guarantee Contador's absence from the 2011 Tour de France. Contador, though, was more focused in the riders that will be competing for the title. "The riders who are here are some of my main rivals for the Tour de France," said the Saxo Bank rider. "There will be Cadel Evans (the crack Australian recent winner of the Tirreno-Adriatico), Ivan Basso (two-time Tour of Italy winner), Dennis Menchov (Russia's two-time Tour of Spain champion), Michele Scarponi (fourth in last year's Tour of Italy) and others I forget," he said. "They will be very difficult adversaries. They have begun the season in very good form and that is going to be clear in this race." Notice the conspicuous absence of Andy Schleck - the Luxemburger has struggled this season and no longer appears to be Contador's main rival.
Contador, whose positive test came at last year's Tour de France where he claims it emanated from a piece of contaminated meat he ate, pinpointed Wednesday's mountainous third stage as the pivotal one. "The third stage will be the key day, with the finish in Andorra, but the other days will be complicated as well," he said. I think Contador is in for many many complicated days in the run up to the 2011 Tour de France.
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