MADRID, June 26, 2011 (AFP) – Jose Joaquin Rojas of Movistar beat
three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Saxo Bank by one second
on Sunday to take the Spanish national road race title.

Contador made a late attack but Rojas was able to catch up with him in a
final sprint to complete the 196.7km race staged in the northern province of
Castellon in 5hr 1min 25sec.

Koldo Fernandez de Larrea of Euskaltel-Euskadi finished third.

Contador, who finished third in Friday’s time-trial, said he was “very
happy” with his performance at the Spanish nationals, his final competition
before next month’s Tour de France.

“Races of just one day are not my specialty and the route was not very
suited to my characteristics,” he added.

Debate has raged over whether Contador should be allowed to compete after
he tested positive for clenbuterol during last year’s Tour de France.

He was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Spanish federation after it
accepted his claim that he ingested the banned substance by eating a
contaminated steak.

But the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) have appealed that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS). A verdict is due to be delivered in August.

Although a CAS ban would annul all his results dating from and including
last year’s Tour de France, legally Contador currently has every right to
compete.

Last week, world cycling chiefs urged that Contador be presumed innocent of
doping until proven guilty.

Contador is aiming for a rare double after winning the Giro d’Italia last
month.