Cycling: Contador takes silver in Spain

MADRID: Triple Tour de France champion Alberto Contador secured a silver medal in the road race at the Spanish championships in his final appearance before he begins the defence of his Tour title. “It wasn’t a hard climb but it was very hot and we covered 210 kilometres,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see what my performance and physical state will be at the Tour.” Contador failed a dope test in last year’s Tour but was later cleared. If he successfully defends his title he will record the first Giro/Tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2011.