Hamburg - Alberto Contador will not defend his Giro d'Italia title in 2009 because he wants to focus on a second Tour de France crown, the cyclingnews website on Tuesday quoted the Spanish rider as saying. "After winning the Giro and Vuelta this year, I'll return to the Tour to try to win. I will not participate in the Giro. Last year I did, but I had more trouble recovering late in the season," Contador was quoted as saying at a charity race in Spain on the weekend.
"The one goal I will sacrifice 100 per cent for is the Tour."
The Astana rider also left it open whether he would compete in the Vuelta on home ground again next year.
"I will race after the Tour and then decide if I'll participate in the Vuelta or not." he said.
Contador won the Tour de France in 2007 but missed this year's edition because Astana was not invited over its doping-tainted past.
Contador's decision on the Giro will likely mean that Lance Armstrong will captain the team in the Italian race in May. The American seven-time Tour winner will come out of retirement next year to race in the Giro and the Tour.
