Contodor rides through town

Alberto Contador, eager to get onto the Gravel Giro event. 188127 Pictures: GREG CARRICK

World-famous cyclist Alberto Contador was among those to zip through Warburton on two wheels over the weekend.

The Giro della Donna is now in its fourth year and is a weekend-long festival of road and gravel cycling based in Warburton.

The event featured a 55 kilometre gravel ride on Saturday 24 November and a 125km road ride on Sunday 25 November.

Contador was the ambassador for this year’s event.

He retired from the sport at the end of the last year with 68 victories to his name, including multiple victories at the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España, plus a host of wins at week-long stage races.

Sunday’s ride included the 20km Reefton Spur ascent, a 16km gravel sector, and a true summit finish atop Mt Donna Buang – more than 2500m of climbing.