Contador says Armstrong admission may help sport

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Alberto Contador, a two-time winner of the Tour de France who was stripped of a third title for using a banned substance, says cycling needs to take something positive from the Lance Armstrong scandal and move forward.

Contador spoke to reporters on Sunday on the eve of the Tour de San Luis in Argentina.

Contador called Armstrong's admission "hard on the image of cycling, but I'm trying to take the good from it. Perhaps from this we can close this chapter on this decade and focus on the present and future of this beautiful sport."

Contador won the Tour de France in 2007 and 2009 but was stripped of his 2010 title for testing positive for clenbuterol.

"I know they've spoken a lot about the interview, but what he said surprised nobody in the least," the Spaniard said.

Armstrong acknowledged in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he used banned substances in winning his seven Tour de France titles.

Armstrong was stripped of the titles and has been banned for life from cycling and from competing in athletic events sanctioned by WADA or the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.