Giro-Tour double career-changing: Contador (Reuters)

By Julien Pretot UTRECHT, Netherlands (Reuters) – The Giro/Tour de France double would be a career-changing achievement, Alberto Contador said on Thursday as he embarks on a the world’s greatest cycling race less than two months after winning in Italy. The Spaniard, who has won seven grand tours since his maiden Tour title in 2007, is one of four pre-race favorites along with Britain’s Chris Froome, Italian defending champion Vincenzo Nibali and Colombian Nairo Quintana. The last rider to win the Giro and the Tour in the same season was the late Marco Pantani in 1998.