Alberto Contador to retire after 2016 season

The six-time Grand Tour winner told Spanish newspaper AS that next season would be his last, following lengthy speculation over his future with many of the sport's insiders of the belief he would indeed call it quits in the near future.

“Physically I’m recuperating well and I’m excited about the team, but the years are going by," the Tinkoff-Saxo rider said at a Fundación Alberto Contador event.

"Next season I'll be in the peloton, but that will be my last."

The Spaniard said he wants to go out "at the highest level", riding "better than in 2009" - the year he won the Tour de France.

"If I enter the Giro or the Tour it means nothing to me to come second, I'm solely looking to win," he added.

"I'm a non-conformist and victory is the only thing that I'm focused on."

He added one minor caveat, saying that "if there were to be a mishap" or accident that stopped him competing in 2016 "then I would carry on for one more year and leave it at that."