Alberto Contador is riding the Tour de France not only to make history by becoming the first man since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win the Giro and the Tour in the same year, but to prove to all of his critics that the double can be done in a cleaner era of cycling.

The 32 year old from Spain says he is proud that despite many different names coming into the sport, he has been able to remain on top as the best GC rider of his generation.

“I hope I can do that,” Contador said in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais. “I’ve been looking at the type of riders who have been with me on different [Grand Tour] podiums, from time triallists like Cadel Evans to climbers like Andy Schleck, more recent appearances like Chris Froome and now younger riders who are coming through. That’s three generations. That I’ve been able to remain a favourite since 2007 fills me with pride.”

Should he complete his goal, he would become just the eighth man in history to complete the double, which he says is a dream for him to complete. Many say it cant be done, but Contador says those people are just motivating him to succeed and prove them wrong every single day.

“It’s a personal challenge and a big dream. The Tour is the most important race, the one that changes your life and I can vouch for that. Until you win it, you don’t really realise how important it is, but on the other hand one more Tour victory more - or one less - would not make my career more memorable,” he explained.

“On the other hand, if I won the Giro-Tour, it would be something everybody would remember for a long time. It will be really hard. But I’m doing absolutely everything to recover as well as I can do, every hour, every minute, every day to be there in the best condition. Then I will see if I can get it because it is not just a physical challenge, above all it’s a mental one. And then the race has to go well…but [as for the] people who are convinced that it is impossible, that just motivates me even more.”