Contador's race programme revealed

Alberto Contador will race with one single goal in 2009 - the Tour de France. Prevented from racing the French stage race last year he will put all his energy into achieving his second win in the Tour. Contador revealed his build-up programme to the Tour de France, which will consist of five races.

After the Astana training camp in California (February 1-10), Contador starts his 2009 campaign in Portugal, with the Tour de Algarve (February 18-22) according to L'Equipe. Then he will race again in Paris-Nice (March 8-15), which he won in 2007. After that he will head over the border and back to his native Spain for two races. He will participate in the Vuelta a Castilla y León from March 23 to 27 and in the Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco (April 6-11). In the Basque Country, Contador emerged victorious in 2008.

The remainder of April and start of May will be spent training. "I will do reconnaissance rides of Tour stages and will do specific training to get better in the mountains and time trials."

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Contador will then participate in his final race before the Tour, in the Dauphiné Libéré (June 7-14).

Contador's programme and form are in stark contrast to his teammate, Lance Armstrong. Armstrong is doing a marathon programme of races, including the Tour down Under, the Tour of California and a selection of Classics. The American said that he has never been in better form in January before.

Contador on the other hand has started the year slowly. "It is too early to draw conclusions about my condition. I have now finished all my obligations fore the winter and I am 100 per cent focussed on training. It is true that I am slightly behind in comparison to other seasons, but that doesn't frighten me."