Bjarne Riis is keen to keep Alberto Contador at Tinkoff-Saxo, with the 2014 Vuelta winner’s contract up for negotiation at the end of 2015.

The 32 year old’s programme is the Ruta del Sol, Tirreno-Adriatico and then the Giro d’Italia, where he hopes to complete the first phase of the Giro-Tour double.

“He’s training well and he’s doing well. The preparation has been great and he’ll be ready to race at Ruta,” Riis told Cyclingnews at the Tour of Qatar, where he is currently directing his other star rider, Peter Sagan.

“Alberto’s not needed a slower warm-up this year. He’s started around the same time and he’s had a good winter. I’d say the preparation has been perfect and his level has been where it needs to be for this time. He’ll be ready to race and then he’ll start preparing for the Giro.”

Riis says that Contador is one of the few riders capable of completing the Giro-Tour double and winning both, even if his last attempt in 2011 didn’t go to plan. Riis is confident he has a better team in 2015 than he had in 2011 and this can make the difference between success and failure.

“He’s one of the few guys who can try and do this but it’s one thing trying to do and another trying to be among the best in both races,” Riis told Cyclingnews.

“In 2011 we learnt that he was able to do it but I believe that he’s stronger now. He’s better prepared, he’s training well and he has a stronger team,” Riis said.

“When you take on a project like this, the team is really important. If you go to the Giro and you go for the win you can do it in a number of ways. You can go win by as much as possible or you can win and be safe. It also depends on the last week and how much you need to do yourself and how much you can rely on your team and how much protection they can give you. In 2011 he had to make the difference and that’s different now because I think that he has a stronger team.”

Getting back to keeping Contador on the team past 2015, Riis said he wants to re-sign the team’s star, even if Contador has dropped hints that he may retire at the end of any season, meaning tying him to a long term deal may be hard. He may even choose to retire at the end of 2015 if he feels he has done all he can.

“Of course we have plans and who wouldn’t want to keep him? That’s the project. The final decisions don’t rest with me but I hope it happens,” he said.

“And when you’re as good as he is why would you retire [soon]? I don’t see the point in that. It doesn’t make sense. When it comes to that point it’s all about motivation and finding your new goals. If you have that, and the dedication to sacrifice at that level, then why stop?”

Riis made it clear he doesn’t just see Contador as a good rider, but described him as the best he has ever seen, even if he doesn’t conquer the Giro-Tour double.

“He has class and he has willpower. He’s the best I’ve ever seen. It’s different when you compare different eras. Who can you say is better that Merck for example? It’s a different time but I see how good Contador is and it’s just fantastic.”