Fresh off his win in cycling's Giro
d'Italia, Alberto Contador has his eyes set on a new goal:
becoming the first cyclist in 17 years to win the Tour de France
in the same year as the Italian victory.
The Spaniard won the Italian road race on Sunday, his
second Giro d'Italia win, despite setbacks along the way.
But he took little time to savour the win before launching
towards his goal of repeating the Giro-Tour double last pulled
off by late Italian great Marco Pantani in 1998.
"It has been a beautiful Giro, and a very special
experience," Contador, 32, said after he defeated Italian Fabio
Aru by one minute and 53 seconds.
Contador, who won the Giro in 2008, also thanked the
Italian public on Sunday, saying "tres veces gracias" or "thank
you three times".
He alluded to his May 14 accident and his fears that a
subsequent shoulder injury might put him out of competition, as
well as struggles on the leg involving a stiff climb over the
Mortirolo pass in the Alps.
"I came here thinking about the victory and preparing very
carefully, then I fell and I got injured in the shoulder. I also
feared (then) having to stop," said Contador.
"I did not have good legs (but) it was a nice ride and a
very special experience for me".
Italy's Pantani was the last man to win both the Giro and
the Tour de France in same year.
Pantani died in 2004 of what the coroner said was acute
cocaine poisoning.
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