Alberto Contador has received a rapturous reception when he arrived back home in Spain after winning the Tour de France.

The 24-year-old rider stood on the balcony of the Madrid regional government building and waved to hundreds of fans, many of whom wore yellow in tribute to the colour of the Tour leader's jersey.

"A little bit of this Tour belongs to each of you who supported me," Contador said. "I appreciate all of you who pushed me at every stage and made these three weeks very short.

"Now, I am realising the impact of the Tour and I want to enjoy it and celebrate it."

The president of the Madrid regional government - Esperanza Aguirre - said Contador had made the whole country proud.

"These days people say: 'We just won the Tour,' as if all citizens of Madrid and all Spaniards had won," she said.

Contador was the first Spaniard to win cycling's showcase event since Miguel Indurain won the last of his five consecutive titles in 1995.

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