Alberto Contador Seeks More Revenge In Tour of Spain

The Tour of Spain, the last of cycling’s three grand tours (three-week races), begins Saturday in Granada, Spain, and it will carry unusual weight this year in the pro cycling world.

Several years ago, the Tour of Spain switched from a May date to its current time frame. And as a late-season event, many teams sent second-tier squads or skipped it.

The Tour of Spain logo

But in the last few years, the event status has improved and it will be particularly important this year because Team Astana is competing.

The Kazakhstan-based team was not allowed to compete in the Tour de France this year for former team riders’ offenses. And it was also excluded from the Tour of Italy, cycling’s second-most prestigious race.

Shortly before the Tour of Italy began, race organizers changed their minds and allowed Astana to compete.

Alberto Contador of Spain, winner of the 2007 Tour de France, won the race, with strong support from Levi Leipheimer, had finished third in the Tour de France.

The Astana team used the Tour of Italy as a revenge affair. And it will use the same tactic in the Tour of Spain. Contador and Leipheimer (the only American in the field) will again attempt to make Tour de France officials look foolish for the team’s exclusion is this year’s race.

The Tour of Spain will conclude Sept. 21 in Madrid.