Alberto Contador says he ahs fully recovered from a micro-fissure of the sacrum sustained during a crash in the Volta a Catalunya and is ready to tackle the Giro d’Italia.

“I’m going very well, the big blocks of training here in the Canaries are all but finished and I’m now beginning to go through the recovery phase prior to the Giro,” he said.

“I’ve done a huge amount of climbing rides in these last three weeks and now what we’ve got to do is ease back before next week.”

Most riders dislike the training camps in Gran Canaria, as they last a long time and they feel very detached from real life. As a Spaniard however, Contador says he feels at home.

“Being in your own country, you’ve got access to television and internet, so it’s not so bad. I enjoy it. Other guys have a tougher time of it, but I really like it. I can focus on riding my bike and I don’t have the distractions or pressure that I get when I’m in other places.”

“Here it’s relaxed, you don’t have to be constantly looking at the weather forecast like you do in Lugano [where Contador lives – ed.] and adapting your training to those circumstances because you know it’ll be good.”