Alberto Contador stayed upbeat on Thursday despite hearing the International Cycling Union (UCI) would be appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the lifting of his doping ban.
The UCI decided to challenge the Spanish federation's move to exonerate Contador after he had tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol during last year's Tour de France, a race he won for the third time in his career.
Speaking to a packed and noisy news conference held in a makeshift tent near the Tour of Catalunya stage four finish line at El Vendrell, the Saxo Bank rider said: "I have full confidence in my defence and full confidence in my lawyers.
"I'd prefer that I was in a different situation and that there hadn't been an appeal, or that it had been done more logically, but if an appeal has to be made to CAS that's because it had to happen.
"Maybe thanks to this appeal to CAS my innocence will be even clearer," Contador added.
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Although the news broke just a few minutes after the start of stage four, he said he was only told about the UCI appeal when he reached the finish four and a half hours later.
After a lengthy delay before going on to the podium to huge cheers from the crowd to receive his leader's jersey, Contador picked his way through a sea of reporters and fans to give a news conference lasting just three and a half minutes.
"They have had time to see all the documents in my case and I'm sure they've never seen such a strong, clear case," said a relaxed Contador after a stage won by Portugal's Manuel Cardoso.
Asked if he was still thinking about riding in the Tour de France in July, he replied: "Right now I'm just thinking as far as the Tour of Italy (in May)."
Thursday's hilly 195-km stage was won by Cardoso in a bunch sprint from Giacomo Nizzolo of Italy and Spain's Jose Joaquin Rojas.
The winner of stage three's summit finish in Andorra on Wednesday, Contador continues to lead by 23 seconds overall from American Levi Leipheimer.
The Tour of Catalunya ends in Barcelona on Sunday.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
