A Carlos Sastre victory in the Tour de France is the best possible consolation for being barred from competing in the race, according to last year's winner fellow Spaniard Alberto Contador.
‘As I was unable to defend my yellow jersey, the best thing that could happen is for a compatriot to win the race,’ Contador told Spanish sports daily Marca on Sunday.
Contador, who finished ahead of Cadel Evans to win the 2007 Tour, was unable to defend his crown after his Astana team were not invited to compete in the race because of their previous involvement in doping scandals.
The 25-year-old Spaniard, who joined the revamped Astana outfit at the start of the season, won this year's Giro d'Italia after having to make a sudden change in his planning after receiving a late invitation to ride in the race.
Contador said he was delighted that Sastre looked certain to seal a third successive Spanish triumph, a run begun by Oscar Pereiro in 2006.
‘I'm especially pleased that Carlos Sastre is going to win it because he has spent his whole career improving one step at a time,’ he said.
‘This is a reward for his whole career. He has ridden very intelligently throughout the Tour, knowing what he wanted and fighting for it from the very start.’
The foundation for Sastre's almost certain victory came as a result of an audacious attack at the start of the ascent of l'Alpe d'Huez which ended in a spectacular stage victory on Wednesday.
He surprisingly preserved his overall lead after an impressive performance in Saturday's 53-km time trial.
‘In Alpe d'Huez, Sastre was valiant enough to attack from the bottom of the climb and now he has produced the time trial performance of his life,’ said Contador.
