Disgraced cyclist Alberto Contador says he will 'fight to the end' to clear his name after being stripped of his Tour de France title.
The cycling world was rocked on Monday when Contador was found guilty of doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, receiving a two-year ban and being stripped of his 2010 Tour victory.
The Spaniard's story that he ingested a small amount of clenbuterol by eating tainted meat was not accepted by CAS, but Contador said he would not rest until he had proved his innocence.
"My lawyers are examining the possibilities and as I have said before we have to fight to the end," Contador said when asked if he would appeal CAS's decision in the Swiss federal court, which he must do within 30 days.
"With the sentence in my hand the sensation I still feel is that I am innocent. I did not dope myself."
"I will continue in cycling. I will continue to do so in a clean way as I have all my life. And I know that will make me stronger in the future."
Andy Schleck has been elevated to champion of the 2010 Tour, although the Luxembourgian has said he does not consider himself to be the winner.
Contador tested positive for clenbuterol in September 2010, but had his initial ban from WADA overturned by the Spanish Cycling Federation.
His CAS hearing was deferred several times, allowing him to ride in the 2011 Tour de France, but he said having the issue hanging over his head had been a 'nightmare'.
"My dreams have collapsed," he said.
"There's not been one morning that I haven't asked myself how I got into this situation. It's been a hard year. I wouldn't wish a year like this on anyone."
"I've had nightmare months when I couldn't sleep, and months when I wanted to go home rather than ride a bike."
"Everybody has been saying that I'm guilty of something that's against my own moral standpoint. My feeling of injustice is terrible."
Contador said he was at a loss to explain why CAS had not believed his explanation of how the banned substance got in his system.
"Throughout all these months I've done everything possible to show that I was innocent," he said.
"I've written it all down, gone through everything, spent hours and hours answering the questions they've put to me."
"As I said to CAS at the recent hearing, if there's anything more I could have said to show that I'm innocent then tell me what it is."
"I do feel a strange satisfaction in that at least it is all over... I feel it is particularly hard on me because the amount of clenbuterol was so small it would never change my performance."