Alberto Contador takes Tour of Spain title after serving doping ban

Madrid: Spaniard Alberto Contador has come back from a two-year doping ban to lift his second Tour of Spain cycling title.

Saxo-Bank rider Contador finished the 21st and final leg from Cercedilla to Madrid Sunday with ease to secure the victory. He clocked 84 hours and 59 minutes 49 seconds for the race that covered a total distance of 3,300 kilometers. His compatriots Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) finished second and third respetively. Germany`s John Degenkolb of the Argos-Shimano team won the final stage in 2:44:57, Contador coming through buried in the main lead peloton in 54th spot. The 29-year-old Contador returned to the cycling tour last month after he was banned for testing positive for clenbuterol in 2010. He was stripped of the titles in the 2010 Tour de France and 2011 Giro d`Italia victories. IANS