Alberto Contador has told Biciciclismo that he will stick to his plan of riding just Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya before the Giro d’Italia, even though it leaves him with 40 days without racing between the end of Catalunya and the Giro’s team time trial.

“Paris-Nice suits me much better but we made a plan from the beginning with Tirreno and we will continue with it,” Contador said. “This year Tirreno is perhaps less suitable for me, the mountains aren’t as hard and riding for victory will be more complicated. And the Volta a Catalunya has no time trial and I don’t think the summit finishes are too demanding. But they will be the races that give me the speed I can’t get from training alone.”

He has already shown his form with second in the Ruta del Sol behind Chris Froome last week. The 32-year-old Spaniard will have a short rest after Catalunya and then embark on a long training camp with his Giro teammates. He says he wont race much between the Giro and the Tour either, which means 33 days without racing, and again he will do another training camp in between the two Grand Tours.