Alberto Contador

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Alberto Contador confirms his Vuelta a España title as Adriano Malori wins a short, wet final time trial in Santiago de Compostela

Despite his success at the Vuelta, the Spanish champion insists he will not join his countrymen in Ponferrada for worlds

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Contador matched Froome's aggression Saturday to win the stage and secure overall victory at the Vuelta with just one stage to go

One final climb remained for two riders who exited the Tour de France with injury, and returned for redemption in Spain

Indicating some disagreement within the Spanish ranks, Contador has been named to the preliminary world championships roster

Chris Froome hasn't given up the fight for Vuelta GC, and his Spanish rivals have taken notice, now that the Sky leader is second overall

The contenders come out to play, and Chris Froome attacks his way into second place on GC. Aru wins, and keeps his fifth-place overall

The day belongs to Astana's Aru, but it was Chris Froome did the most damage, moving into second overall

Contador says the circuit course for the road race does not suit his strengths

Contador may be on cruise-control, but there is tension inside the Tinkoff-Saxo bus; they're hoping that something doesn't go wrong

Contador is calm and confident ahead of the Vuelta's final challenges, though he doesn't think his fitness matches what he had for the Tour

Two-time Tour de France champion withdraws his name from consideration for Spanish team, saying he is not suited for the course

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The peloton faces the Vuelta's queen stage, and Contador shows everyone why he's comfortably wearing the red leader's jersey

In a rivalry for the ages, Froome and Contador go head-to-head, but so far, the Spaniard has the upper hand

Alberto Contador defends his red leader's jersey with panache, winning stage 16 of the Vuelta ahead of Chris Froome

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Instead of working together in Sunday's finale, Spain's top rivals missed a chance to eliminate Sky's Froome as a GC threat

It is Niemiec's day atop the final climb to Lagos de Covadonga, as the GC favorites see Contador's true form

Przemyslaw Niemiec takes stage 15 just ahead of a battle for the overall starring Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez

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Ryder Hesjedal sucker-punches Oliver Zaugg to win atop La Camperona as Alberto Contador defends his lead against a surging Chris Froome

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The 2013 Tour champion is inconsistent at this Vuelta, one day challenging the mountain goats, the next, ceding time against the clock

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With the exit of Nairo Quintana, the Vuelta lost the one rider who could truly put a fright into Alberto Contador

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GC favorites trade blows on the final climb, but Quintana is not among them, after abandoning with a broken scapula

Aru wins as Contador controls GC rivals. Froome grits his teeth through un jour sans, but Quintana has it worst, withdrawing after a crash

Alberto Contador surged into the overall lead on day when archrivals Chris Froome stalled and Nairo Quintana crashed

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Tony Martin wins the 36.7 kilometer time trial, while the GC picture crystalizes in Spain, with Contador in the driver's seat

TT world champion is best in Vuelta test, as race leader Nairo Quintana crashes, ceding overall lead to Alberto Contador

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Tuesday's time trial will reshuffle the GC deck, and perhaps eliminate a few contenders, but it likely will not crown the overall winner

At Monday's press conference, Contador publicly admitted for the first time that he can compete to win the race for a third time

Nairo Quintana took command of the Spanish grand tour Sunday, but his rivals — including Alberto Contador — are right on his heels

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Winner Anacona takes stage 9 and very nearly steals the overall lead at the Vuelta, but Nairo Quintana saves the red jersey for Movistar

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Movistar's Alejandro Valverde is best on La Zubia, beating GC heavy-hitters on a steep final climb

Defying the odds again, Contador is not only racing the Vuelta a España, but providing hints that he might be here for more than training

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The Spaniard exited the Tour de France in stage 10 after a crash left him with a broken shinbone

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Vincenzo Nibali’s Tour victory comes at the end of three weeks of chaos that left only the strong standing

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The Spaniard quit the Tour de France last week after crashing badly in stage 10

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Contador says that if his injury prevents him from being at full strength in time for the Vuelta, he might focus on training for 2015

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Monday's painful exit is the latest chapter in Contador's love-and-hate relationship with the Tour de France

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The 2014 Tour de France has been a cruel edition of the race, one that has seen dreams broken, almost daily