Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff).(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) will need to improve his time trialing if he's to challenge for the Tour de France in 2014(Image credit: Carson Blume Photography)
Alberto Contador and Michael Morkov stop to take in the view(Image credit: Alberto Contador)
Olivier Zaugg and Rory Sutherland lead the bunch(Image credit: Alberto Contador)
Jesus Hernandez and Sergio Paulinho(Image credit: Alberto Contador)
Roman Kreuziger and Alberto Contador train together in Gran Canaria(Image credit: Alberto Contador)
Rafal Majka and Bruno Pires(Image credit: Alberto Contador)
Daniele Bennati and Nicolas Roche train in Gran Canaria(Image credit: Alberto Contador)
Contador and his teammates get some core work in during their Gran Canaria camp(Image credit: Alberto Contador)
Alberto Contador has firmly denied that there is any substance to the rumors that he would seek an early exit from his contract with Bjarne Riis' Saxo-Tinkoff team. The Spaniard told Marca he is committed with the squad through 2015.
"I have no plan to not continue with Riis," Contador said from Gran Canaria, where he has been training with his teammates. "I have signed for this coming year and next. Ignore anything that is said or written otherwise."
Although Contador was unable to add to his tally of Grand Tour victories this year - he finished off the podium in the Tour de France - and had just one win, a stage of the Tour de San Luis - he remains satisfied with the squad overall.
"I have the utmost confidence in each and every one of the members of Saxo Bank," Contador said. "In addition, our bonds are strong and that camaraderie is what makes our performance. The atmosphere is unbeatable. As for the quality of the riders, I have at my side [Roman] Kreuziger, one of the best in the world; [Michael] Rogers, [Nicolas] Roche, [Daniele] Bennati for the flats, and Tosatto for experience ... I would not change for any other team, seriously."
Contador has been linked in the media with the proposed professional team of F1 driver Fernando Alonso, which is slated to begin in 2015, but while interested, Contador is not planning to be with that team for its debut.
"Fernando Alonso's project is interesting and in some ways it motivates me, too. You need to form new teams and you never know what will happen, but I have the contract and I'm not planning on anything else. It will be great if the project goes forward. And then, after a while, we shall see."
