As has long been widely anticipated the UCI (International Cycling Union) has confirmed it will be appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after Saxo Bank-SunGard’s rider Alberto Contador was cleared by The Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) of doping offences back in February. Contador tested positive for Clenbuterol at last year’s Tour de France, although the Spanish cyclist has always maintained that he accidentally ingested the illegal performance enhancing drug via contaminated meat. If the UCI are successful in overturning the verdict of the RFEC Contador will face a ban of up to 2 years as well as being stripped of his 2010 Tour de France champion title.
Undeterred, Contador has gone from strength to strength this season having already won the Vuelta de Murcia (Tour of Murcia) setting a best overall time of 9hours, 27minutes and 18seconds with wins on both day/stage two and three. He is also being touted as favourite for this year’s Giro d’Italia (May 7 -29) having last won the event in 2008, and is currently riding high in the Tour of Catalonia where, after four days of competition, he has retained the leader’s jersey he claimed during day three’s tough Pyrenees stage.
The Tour of Catalonia concludes Sunday 27 – Cyclo will bring you full results.
