Spain Cycling Doping Contador
File - In his Sept. 30, 2010, file photo cyclist Alberto Contador reacts during a news conference in Pinto, on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain. Span...
File - In his Sept. 30, 2010, file photo cyclist Alberto Contador reacts during a news conference in Pinto, on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain. Spanish cycling officials have proposed a one-year ban for Alberto Contador for failing a Tour de France doping test, the Spanish cyclist confirmed on Wednesday Jan. 26, 2011. If the penalty is adopted, Contador would lose his third Tour title because of the positive clenbuterol result he blames on contaminated meat. The Spanish cyclist would also be ineligible to compete in this year's Tour.(AP Photo/Paul White, File)
Spain Cycling Doping Contador
FILE - In this July 25, 2010 file photo, Alberto Contador of Spain speeds down the Champs Elysees during the 20th and last stage of the Tour de Franc...
FILE - In this July 25, 2010 file photo, Alberto Contador of Spain speeds down the Champs Elysees during the 20th and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race in Paris, France. Spanish cycling officials have proposed a one-year ban for Alberto Contador for failing a Tour de France doping test, the Spanish cyclist confirmed on Wednesday Jan. 26, 2011. If the penalty is adopted, Contador would lose his third Tour title because of the positive clenbuterol result he blames on contaminated meat. The Spanish cyclist would also be ineligible to compete in this year's Tour.(AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File)
Spain Cycling Doping Contador
File - In this file photo from Oct. 30, 2010, cyclist Alberto Contador of Spain speaks on a cell phone in Oviedo, Spain. Spanish cycling officials ha...
File - In this file photo from Oct. 30, 2010, cyclist Alberto Contador of Spain speaks on a cell phone in Oviedo, Spain. Spanish cycling officials have proposed a one-year ban for Alberto Contador for failing a Tour de France doping test, the Spanish cyclist confirmed on Wednesday Jan. 26, 2011. If the penalty is adopted, Contador would lose his third Tour title because of the positive clenbuterol result he blames on contaminated meat. The Spanish cyclist would also be ineligible to compete in this year's Tour. (AP Photo/Paco Paredes, File)
Alberto Contador plans to appeal any suspension for his Tour de France doping test, saying Friday he feels like "a victim of the system."
"I will defend my innocence until the end," the Spanish rider said at a news conference in Mallorca, two days after Spanish cycling officials proposed a one-year ban for his positive clenbuterol test.
Contador blames the positive test on eating contaminated meat.
The Spanish cycling federation accepted that defense, leading the body to recommend a reduced ban rather than the standard two-year penalty. He would also be stripped of the 2010 Tour title.
"They are recognizing that I'm innocent and then they give me a one-year ban," the three-time Tour winner said. "I can't explain that. I can't defend that. I can't do anything more."
"Of course I feel like a victim _ a victim of the system," he said.
Contador has until Feb. 9 to present further evidence in his defense before a final decision is rendered.
He called the entire disciplinary process "shameful" and said he will do all he can to see that the rule on clenbuterol is changed.
"I'm conscious of the proposed resolution but this is about honor," he said. "What hurts the most is that all of the scientists know I'm innocent. And this hurts me. This is sad. Very sad."