Alberto Contador confirms race schedule for final season

Alberto Contador will target the Tour de France and Olympic Games road race in his final year as a professional cyclist, with the cyclist revealing his early-season schedule for 2016.

The Spaniard will start his season at the Volta ao Algarve (February 17-21), as he did in 2014 - the race won by Team Sky's Geraint Thomas this season.

From there he will tackle Paris-Nice (March 6-13) for the first time since winning it in 2010, having preferred to race the Tirreno-Adriatico instead in recent years.

The Volta a Catalunya (March 21-27) is next in line, where Contador came fourth behind Richie Porte, Alejandro Valverde and Domenico Pozzovivo this season - seven seconds off the overall win.

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Then, in preparation for the Tour de France, Contador will tackle the Tour of the Basque Country (April 4-9) and the Criterium du Dauphiné (June 5-12).

The season's main goal - the Tour de France - kicks off on July 2, with El Pistolero keen to add a yellow jersey to his collection, having failed to complete the Giro/Tour double in 2015.

Contador will face strong opposition in the Olympic Games, with rivals like Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde all vying for the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in August.

From there, it is likely that Contador will race the Vuelta a España for one last time before hanging up his wheels.