Tour de France champ Contador may appeal

MADRID – Alberto Contador vowed Tuesday to return to the pinnacle of cycling, maintaining his innocence in the face of a two-year doping ban that stripped the Spanish star of his 2010 Tour de France title.

He said his lawyers are considering whether to appeal the ban handed down by sport’s highest court and insisted that even if the punishment stands he will return to challenge for more Tour titles.

The penalty is retroactive and will expire in August.

“I’m sure of one thing: I want to come back to ride the best races,” Contador said.