Alberto Contador plans to appeal any suspension for his Tour de France doping test, saying yesterday 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 recognising 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."

Contador is one of only five cyclists to win the Tour, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta.

"How can this affect my career any more?" he said. "My career has already been so affected by everything. The Spanish committee has to understand that the proposed resolution is not just."