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Copenhagen - Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador, who is awaiting the outcome of a doping appeal hearing, said on Tuesday he would compete in the London Olympics next year if possible.
The 28-year-old Contador, whose hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ended last week, was in the Danish capital for Team Saxo Bank's presentation of 29 riders for next season before heading to a training camp in Israel.
Asked if his main objective was to win next year's Tour de France, three-times Tour champion Contador said: "Yes...I know it is very difficult...but I will work very hard for this."
The Tour could also serve as good preparation for the July-August London Olympics, said Contador who won the Tour in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
"Why not try this new challenge in London?" Contador said. "It sounds interesting...if the possibility is there, I will give it a try."
The Spaniard tested positive for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour de France but was cleared by the Spanish federation (RFEC) last February, only for the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to appeal against the decision to the CAS.
Last week, sport's highest court finished the hearing and said a decision was not expected before the end of 2011.
"It was something that happened last week and now I will focus on what is coming up, the training camp in Israel," Contador said.
A plane carrying the Saxo Bank team was scheduled to leave Malmo in Sweden later on Tuesday for Israel, where the squad will engage in team-building activities including constructing a cycling school for children.
