Alberto Contador is a Spanish professional who is one of five riders ever to have won all three of the grand tours – the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and the Vuelta à España. He is known for his climbing ability, and primarily specializes in stage racing because of this. Contador turned professional in 2003 with his first major victory coming in 2007 when he won Paris-Nice. Later that year he also added victory in the Tour de France. In 2008, Contador became one of only nine cyclists to have won two grand tours in the same year, as he won the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta à España. In 2009-10, Contador again won the Tour de France, riding in 2009 for the Astana team alongside Lance Armstrong, who was making his return to pro cycling. Contador’s other major victories include the Vuelta al País Vasco in 2008-09 and Paris-Nice in 2010. Despite his victories, he has had his detractors. During the 2009 Tour de France, Armstrong and Contador did not get along during the race, and Armstrong was openly critical of Contador not following team rules. Contador has also been under suspicion of drug use. In 2006 he was on the Astana-Würth team which had to withdraw from the Tour when it was implicated in Operación Puerto, although Contador was eventually cleared of wrongdoing. However, in September 2010, he tested positive for clenbuterol use, and was suspended by the UCI, although this was later overturned.
Spain