Contador happy with Dauphiné performance

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Alberto Contador was more than satisfied with his performance in the Critérium du Dauphiné. The Astana rider finished second overall behind Janez Brajkovic of RadioShack, snatched victory in the green jersey points classfication on the final stage, and won two stages, including one at Alpe d'Huez, the first he ever raced on the legendary Alpine climb.

“I'm very happy with how I finished this race,” Contador said.

“The assessment I make of this week's competition is very positive. It was very good preparation for the Tour de France and, furthermore, I have won two stages”, he said. “And it has also been a very good performance by the team, with the added victory by Dani Navarro. All my teammates have been at a high level and that makes me very confident.”

Navarro won the fifth stage to Grenoble with a solo effort, after escaping on the final climb.

Contador will stay in the French Alps to check out the two mountain stages in this year's Tour de France: Rousses to Morzine Avoriaz and Morzine to Saint Jean de Maurienne. The stages include the Colombiere, Aravis, Saisies and Madeleine climbs. He will be joined by teammates Benjamin Noval, Jesus Hernandez, David de la Fuente, Paolo Tiralongo and Daniel Navarro, who are expected to form the core of the Astana team for the Tour de France.

On his return to Spain, Contador  will train in the mountains around Madrid before riding the Spanish national time trial championship on June 25.