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Contador meets with Spanish Prime Minister

By Richard Tyler

published 30 July 2009

Two discuss Contador's hopes of new Spanish team

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Zapatero praised Contador's second Tour de France victory(Image credit: AFP)

Comments made by Condator after the meeting indicated that the two had discussed the Tour winner's hopes for a new Spanish team(Image credit: AFP)

Zapatero and Contador head inside to discuss the the 26-year-old's Tour win(Image credit: AFP)

Alberto Contador meets Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero(Image credit: AFP)

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero shows Alberto Contador around the Spanish prime minister's residence(Image credit: AFP)

Alberto Contador met with Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Wednesday in Madrid as part of his post-Tour de France victory celebrations. Contador said after the meting that he had discussed with Zapatero his hopes of forming a Spanish team in for 2010.

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"I watched the final moments of several stages of the Tour and I have to say that you managed to get my pulse racing, as you did for many Spaniards," Zapatero told Contador, according AFP.

"He has no rival, even if that is hard to accept for some." Zapatero appeared to make reference to Contador and teammate Lance Armstrong's tense relationship during and after the Tour.

Contador and Armstrong will part ways next season. Armstrong announced the formation of new team RadioShack for next season during the Tour. The team will likely to draw a number of key riders from Astana, but Contador will likely move to another team.

"I am not only looking at the salary, but also the sporting aspect," said Contador.

"Staying with Astana is no longer likely. Creating a new Spanish team would be ideal and I have also spoken about this with Zapatero."

Contador won the Tour de France twice, 2009 and 2007. He missed the 2008 edition, but he raced and won the two other Grand Tours: the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España.