Contador says Giro-Tour double is possible with a stronger team

Alberto Contador believes it is possible to win both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same season, but has suggested he would need “a more powerful team” than he had around him this year. The Saxo Bank-SunGard team leader made his comments after being welcomed home to Pinto in Spain on Wednesday evening.

He claimed that the route of this year's Tour de France did not suit him and admitted things got off to a bad start, as he lost time due a crash on the first stage, and in the stage two team time trial.

"You need to have stages that suit you, either a prologue, a mountain time trial or two time trials. But not a team time trial if you don't have a strong team. With attention to detail like this and good preparation, you can win both the Giro and the Tour in the same season," he said according to Marca.com

Contador dominated the Giro d'Italia in May but struggled in the Tour de France, finishing fifth, 3:57 behind Cadel Evans (BMC).

"I did what I could after that bad day, and was aware that it wasn't my best year in terms of preparation,” he said.

The three-time Tour winner wasn't dissatisfied though, saying: “The truth is that I'm very happy.”

Contador's race plans for the immediate future are unclear, partially because his hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport has again been postponed and is now set for November.

“It's unfortunate and sad that it's still going on a year later. It needs to be clarified and it is not normal to be so late, but I hope that it ends well and finally ends,” he said.

Contador does not intend to ride the Vuelta a Espana, and does not think he will ride the World Championships either. “It is too early to think about competing at the World Championships. The course is too flat for me and so it's not really worth me preparing for it. It helps though that it is in Denmark and I'm in a Danish team. But for now, the race is not in my plans.”