Disgraced Tour de France winner Alberto Contador has plenty of differing opinions, not about the fact that the Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi, who according to many, will be starting the Giro d’Italia as one of the strong favorites to win the three week long race, considered to be at par with the Tour de France, but about the fact that he will be starting the race as the defending champion after he was awarded the winner’s Pink Jersey almost a year after the conclusion of the event.

Although Contador is of the opinion that Scarponi is the number one contender to take his crown from him, he still believes he is still actually the champion after he beat the Italian to cross the line, therefore, claiming the title. But that title has since been revoked from him after Alberto Contador tested positive for the use of the banned substance steroid clenbuterol during the 2010 edition of the Tour de France that not only cost him the 2010 Tour de France title but also the Giro D’Italia title that he won last year, which has now been awarded to Michele Scarponi.

Contador, whose ban officially ends in August this year, spoke to the media ahead of the event and when asked what he felt Scarponi being awarded the title in spite of finishing six minutes and 10 seconds ahead of him, he frankly stated that there is a difference between what is written on a piece of paper and what his feelings are and in his mind, he knows that he was the winner last term and that the Giro d’Italia 2011 was his crown.

Alberto Contador, however, did state that Scarponi is the favorite to win this year’s title and hoped that his comments about last year’s event would not be misinterpreted as his vanity.