Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) carefully plays down his own chances for success at the Liège-Bastogne-Liège, insisting that he should not be counted amongst the list of top contenders for Sunday’s Ardennes Classic.

The Team Saxo-Tinkoff rider spoke of fatigue in the aftermath of the the Vuelta al País Vasco but chose to ride the Ardennes Classics nonetheless. He finished 33rd in Flèche Wallonne, which was way off the third place he achieved in 2010, and insinuates his prospects of a top result in Sunday’s race are slim.

"As the season has progressed, I've been feeling more and more exhausted. The body feels a bit weak but Liège is the last day of competition before a break and then I'll initiate my preparations for the Tour,” he said, speaking after riding the final eighty kilometres of Sunday’s route. “But of course, I'm here to focus on this race and do the best I can.”

This year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège will see Contador’s first participation in the race since 2010, when he placed ninth. A reconnaissance ride Friday provided Contador with the opportunity to refresh his memory about the route, and also to investigate the new climb of Colouster, which replaces the La Roche des Faucons ascent, and challenges the riders inside the final twenty km.

Contador’s judgement is that the old course was better, at least for a rider with Contador’s tastes. “I see a significant difference with the change. The road is open and wide for a long time and with a little wind a team could control the bunch,” he said.

“It will make the group reaching Saint Nicolas much larger than we used to see. I prefer the other version [the old course] but you never know how the race will develop, and how broken up it will be at the finish.”

Starting at 14.30 on Sunday you can follow the action from Liège-Bastogne-Liege live here on Cyclingquotes.com