Alberto Contador

Alberto Contador of Spain, winner of the 2008 Tour of Italy, will not defend his title in 2009, opting instead to focus on winning a second Tour de France title. Contador, who rides for Astana, won the Tour de France in 2007, but his squad wasn’t invited to cycling’s prestige event this year because of past doping offenses. The team hasn’t officially been invited to the 2009 event, either, But it’s expected to receive a position in the race.

Contador’s announcement seems like a savvy move by Astana. Since Lance Armstrong, the newest Astana team member, will competed in the Tour of Italy as his first grand tour since coming out of retirement, he will avoid racing against his own teammate.

Likewise, Armstrong, the seven-time winner of the Tour de France, recently said he’s unsure he would vie for his eighth title. Of course, that would again allow Armstrong and Contador to avoid direct competition.

Contador also won this year’s Tour of Spain, the final grand tour of the season, in September.