Cycling: Contador wins Vuelta to seal comeback

Rider safely negotiated 21st, final 115-kilometre largely flat stage from Cercedilla to Madrid to claim victory.

MADRID: Spain’s Alberto Contador, racing his first Grand Tour since returning from a two-year doping ban last month, won his second Tour of Spain crown. The Saxo-Bank rider, also a two-time Tour de France winner who lost his 2010 Tour and 2011 Giro titles after testing positive for clenbuterol in 2010, safely negotiated the 21st and final 115-kilometre largely flat stage from Cercedilla to Madrid to claim victory. “This is the culmination of many months of work and sacrifices and not sparing any effort,” said Contador. “People sometimes think it is easy but it is not. I dedicate this victory to those who stuck by me in the good and bad moments.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2012.