LISBON, Feb 22, 2009 (AFP) – Spain’s Tour of Italy and Tour of Spain champion Alberto Contador began his quest to recapture the Tour de France this year on a victorious note in the Tour of the Algarve on Sunday.

Contador, who will take on Astana team-mate and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in this year’s edition, finished only 96th in the final stage won by Germany’s Heinrich Haussler, his second stage win of the race.

“This year, the Tour is without doubt my priority, but I don’t want to discard the Giro (Tour of Italy) or the Vuelta (Tour of Spain),” said Contador.

Contador, who was unable to defend his Tour de France title last year because Astana were not invited to compete by the race organisers, will next compete in the Paris-Nice race from March 8 to 15 which he won in 2007.

“By coming to the Algarve the objective was to stay in form with other targets in mind like the Paris-Nice. But I knew that I was capable of winning the race. I couldn’t have done any better.

“It was a very good race. I did right in coming here. We had a lot of luck with the weather which is fundamentally important.”

5th stage:
1. Heinrich Haussler (GER) Cervelo 4hr 16min 04sec, 2. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) same time, 3. Wouter Weylandt (BEL) s.t, 4. Bernhard Eisel (AUT) s.t, 5. Leonardo Duque (COL) s.t
Selected: 96. Alberto Contador (ESP) s.t.

Overall:
1.Alberto Contador (ESP) Astana 19hr 04min 22sec, 2. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) at 1min 06sec, 3. Ruben Plaza (ESP) 1:07, 4. Tiago Machado (POR) 1:08, 5. Andreas Kloden (GER) 1:09.