PINTO, Spain _ An indignant two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador said he ``totally disagreed'' with his two-year doping ban and vowed to pursue his career at the highest level.
``I am going to continue cycling. I am going to continue practising it cleanly, the way I have my entire life,'' he told a news conference in his hometown of Pinto just south of Madrid.
``My mood right now is not the best but I know this will make me stronger in the future,'' he added in his first public comments since the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport handed down its sanction.
``I cannot understand the sanction that has been imposed on me. As for the decision, I totally disagree.''
Contador, 29, said his lawyers were looking into a possible appeal, which must be lodged within 30 days with Switzerland's supreme court, which is the only body he can still turn to in hopes of being exonerated.
``My lawyers are looking into all the possibilities. We will continue to fight until the end,'' he said.
Considered the most gifted racer of his generation, Contador was handed the ban following a positive test for the banned substance clenbuterol.
Backdated to August 2010, when he announced the news of his positive test weeks after his third yellow jersey triumph, the ban means Contador can return to competition on August 6 this year.
As well as ruling him out of this year's Tour de France and the Olympic Games in London, he will be stripped of several wins including his 2010 yellow jersey which will be handed to runner-up Andy Schleck of Luxembourg.
Contador's determination to carry on means he might compete at the Tour of Spain which starts on August 18, a race he won in 2008.
If he is to find any kind of relief from the CAS decision, it is that doping experts believe he did not ingest clenbuterol intentionally. They deemed the Spaniard was likely a victim of a contaminated food supplement.
Contador said he had committed no crime and yet had been hit with the heaviest penalty of a two-year ban.
``There have been speculations, leaks _ it has been a real torment. But the hardest thing has been to see my family, the suffering they have had, my wife, for what they have accused me of.''
He thanked his fans and his sponsor for their support, after Saxo Bank chief Bjarne Riis told the conference he backed the cyclist ``100 per cent'' because he clearly did not deliberately take drugs.
``August is still a long time (away). If he wishes to continue with the team, our intention is the same,'' Riis said.
``I would have no problem working with Alberto again. I have not seen a bike rider like him in many, many years, probably not since (Eddy) Merckx.''
Contador and Merckx are among only five cyclists to have won all three of cycling's major events during their career.
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