Alberto Contador interview on Spanish radio (English transcript)

Yesterday Alberto Contador did an interview on Spanish radio: el Partido de los 12 on Cadena COPE

@FranReyesF of @PrLeopardo wrote a transcript with the most important points This is the English translation:

I have been training hard the first part of the season and had good results. Now I get to train less because the entire season won’t be as hard as anticipated. I had a holiday in the Holy Week, my first since I turned pro.

I am smiling again. The sanction gave me a lot to think about but it’s too much to say CAS ruined my life. There’s so much more than cycling. But it’s been some very tough months. Those 18 months were hard. It’s good to know the suspension is almost over.

I will return in Eneco Tour for sure and then San Sebastian and the Vuelta. I come to these races to win. especially in Vuelta with fresh legs.

I thought about quitting. It’s hard to understand that something like this happened to me. I am an anti-doping fighter, 100%. I have always been extra careful with doping because I know I am an example to many.

There is justice in some doping cases but not in mine. In my case sportive justice failed.

The decision not to go to the Swiss courts was taken by my lawyers. The Swiss court might rule that my case had to go back to CAS and there I’d face the same judges. It would have cost a lot of time and money so we decided against it. Regarding the Court of Human Rights in Strassbourg my lawyers are still debating. I have faith in them.

I want to defend my case and that of others in similar positions. That you fought hard to prove your innocence and then get a two-year suspension and lose your results makes me desperate.

*Technical part on clenbuterol*

If my son wants to be a cyclist I’ll support and help him. I am very fortunate to be a cyclist. To me going to the office during office hours is much more difficult than training six hours.

You wouldn’t wish the past two years I had to your worst enemy. Every day I was on the phone. Every day the papers wrote something terrible. It’s been truly horrible. I don’t read papers. I don’t go online. I only trust the people around me: my brother Fran and my press agent Jacinto. I only want to focus on the bike.

Sadly enough all cyclists know in what legal environment we live. Sometimes I look at other sports with envy. In cycling, all riders have several clauses in their contract regarding doping. The future of cycling is bleak, in my eyes.

Everyone can decide for themselves. I want to enjoy this sport in a clean an pure way and will continue to do so.

The Giro 2011 was my most beatiful race and victory.

We are now working on deciding which team I will go to after the suspension. There are six big teams who expressed their interest including Movistar. But I prefer Saxo Bank because they always helped me. Unconditionally so Saxo has my priority.

Presenter asks about €8 mln offer by Astana for 4 seasons.

I have learnt several values since I was young and one of them is gratitude. I have had good offers and lesser offers but how do you rate gratitude economically? And unconditional help? It has no price

El ciclista es poco dado a pronunciarse en público. Preferimos no hablar para que no nos tengan enfilados, no se da la cara como en otros deportes. He sido arropado por todos los corredores, en Algarve’11, San Luis’12. Respeto total, estoy contento.

Nadie me ha decepcionado dentro del pelotón. La gente que no tiene por qué estar a mi lado no me suscita mayor importancia.

The Vuelta means a lot to me. I want to enjoy it. I have no idea how to thank the people for their help.

I’d love to be selected for the World Championships. The course suits me but there are others like Samuel and Valverde.

I didn’t like the joke by the French tv. It’s not my humour but anyone can do what they like. I don’t give it much attention.

Thanks @FranReyesF for this transcript (in Spanish) with the most important points of this interview.