Tag: Alberto Contador

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Just Say No

In the week that WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) is waiting to hear a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on its appeal (in conjunction with the UCI) against Alberto Contador being cleared by the Spanish cycling federation on doping charges, their new ‘Say No to Doping’ campaign has been launched. Expected to be rolled out across all sports that adhere to its ‘collaborative worldwide campaign for doping-free sport’, their short video was premiered at the weekend when it was broadcast to fans at the NHL’s All Star Game in Ottawa, Canada. According to WADA director David Howman the aim is to share a ‘common goal to protect the integrity of sport’. To-date, 16 organizations worldwide have signed up to the campaign, including, Cyclo is glad to see, the London 2012 Olympic Games.

 

For further information see www.wada-ama.org

 

 

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Jerusalem Shut-down

Yesterday saw a close-down for the first time of the old city of Jerusalem as it staged a two-lap, 40 minute criterium – a course described as ‘a very demanding circuit’. Both Saxo Bank and the Israeli elite squad were in attendance, but it was the former that dominated proceedings with their Spanish star Alberto Contador (celebrating his birthday) taking the top of the podium.

 

Commenting on the win and his time in the country, Contador said, ‘I’m extremely happy to be here in the first place. This first week of my stay here, I’ve experienced nothing but great support in a fascinating country. Both in Akko when we were doing the cycling school project and here in Jerusalem, people have been very supportive of us. It makes me proud being the first ever to win a criterium here in Jerusalem.’

 

Less fortunate was Contador’s team mate Chris Anker Sørensen who crashed spectacularly (and very heavily) on the first lap – the Danish rider was rushed to hospital but it was later reported that he had suffered no serious injury. ‘We’re relieved that we have him back on the road in no time.’ said team owner, Bjarne Riis.

 

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Case Far From Closed

Triple Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will today (Thursday, November 24) give his closing submissions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne with regards onto the ongoing investigation into his alleged doping at the 2010 TdF. The Saxo Bank-SunGard star was initially cleared by the Spanish Cycling Federation – who believed the story the that he had accidentally ingested the performance-enhancer, Clenbuterol, via contaminated meat – but both the UCI and The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) sought to overturn the finding, leading to this hearing at CAS. Contador has been accompanied at the hearing by his brother and manager Fran Contador (and a considerable team of sports lawyers) as around 20 witnesses, including the butcher who sold the allegedly contaminate meat, gave evidence. Incredibly it looks like the case could well drag through into next year with a statement already released from court saying: “The CAS decision in this matter is not expected before the end of 2011.”

 

Elsewhere (in Toulouse to be exact) Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco has lost his appeal against the two-month suspended prison sentence he received after tested positive for Cera (a form of the banned ‘blood-booster’ EPO) after double- mountain stage wins at the 2008 TdF. He was sacked by his team, Vacansoleil-DCM, after the incident, and now has 5 days to appeal the latest findings. Ricco, and his lawyers, are at pains to point out that they are not denying the ‘mistake’ he made in deliberately using the drug, but rather that having already been found guilty by Italian courts – serving a 20-month ban and being fined nearly £5,000 – he should not face further punitive measures.

 

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Giro 2012

Giro d'ItaliaThe route for the 2012 Giro d’Italia has been officially presented at a ceremony in Milan. The 95th edition of the classic, set to run from May 5 to 27, will stage the first three days in Denmark, the first ever Scandinavian start, with around 200 riders initially tackling an 8.7 kilometres Team Time Trial in the City of Herning before two further days of what looks to be some pretty spectacular and challenging Danish scenery. In another first for the race May 26, the penultimate challenge, will involve an altitude finish of 2757m at the Passo della Stelvio – the highest ever Giro finish line.

 

This year’s Giro winner, Saxo Bank-SunGard Alberto Contador, has already all-but ruled himself out of next year’s event (preferring, apparently to concentrate on the Tour de France) but has welcomed details of the 2012 route. Commenting on next year’s Giro he says, “If I should let my heart decide, I’d go to Herning in May next year to take on the Giro but I have other objectives next summer. I know the Danes have put in a great effort to create a good start of the race and I think everyone will be surprised to experience the passion for cycling there. I think the route is less extreme than this year but the stage finishes might cause problems for some riders as it might get nervous. The final week of the race will be very tough in the mountains. I’m sorry that I won’t be there but I feel right at home in Italy and I’m looking forward to be doing the Tirreno-Adriatico next year.”

 

The 2012 Giro will conclude on May 27 with a 31.5-km Individual Time Trial in Milan, the third against the clock race of the route after the first stage in Herning and a second scheduled Team Time Trial in Verona.

 

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Contador Gets His Day

At last, a date for your diary. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has, after interminable delays and innumerable procrastination, finally set a date for the hearing into Alberto Contador’s positive testing for a banned substance at the 2010 Tour de France; the Spaniard will have his case heard between November 21 and 24 – a full season and a half after his alleged infraction. The Saxo Bank-SunGard star won the 2010 Tour – finishing 39 seconds ahead of Andy Schleck – but tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug clenbuterol. Contador subsequently claimed to have accidentally ingested the substance via contaminated meat and although the Spanish Cycling Federation cleared him, both the UCI and The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) sought to overturn the finding, leading to a series of set and then moved dates for the hearing with CAS. Could this actually be an end to what must be the most protracted wrangle in modern cycling history?

 

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Contador Case Moved. Again…

In June Cyclo reported that the Contador doping hearing had been rescheduled – yet again – from the original pre-Tour de France May date until a now come-and-gone end of June date and then to an August 1 date. Now we hear that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is likely to address issues relating the Spaniard’s alleged illegal use of clenbuterol (similar to the asthma drug salbutamol and gives advantageous aerobic capacity) during the 2010 Tour de France not before November. The decision comes partly as a result of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) asking for more time to compile evidence and “resolve arguments about scientific issues.” A statement on the CAS website reports: “As a consequence of the parties’ request, the hearing which was scheduled for 1, 2 and 3 August 2011 is cancelled and will be rescheduled for new dates, probably in November 2011.”

 

Since testing positive for the banned substance during the 2010 Tour Contador has remained adamant that he accidentally ingested the performance enhancer via contaminated meat. He was initially cleared by The Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) before that decision was challenged by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The shadow of doubt continues to hover over the Saxo Bank-SunGard star but the sport as a whole…

 

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And on, and on, and on…

Back in April Cyclo (rather optimistically) reported that it looked like an end could be in sight with regards to the on-going  Alberto Contador doping controversy when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced that it would be reviewing the case and that: “…written proceedings in this matter are likely to be concluded at the end of May and the CAS envisages to hold a hearing in June 2011, which would allow the settlement of the dispute before the end of June 2011.” This would of course have meant that everything would be neatly wrapped up before the start of this year’s Tour de France (July 2) at which the Saxo Bank-SunGard star will be defending his title. Well, no such luck…

 

CAS has now announced that the case involving the taking/accidental ingestion of clenbuterol levelled against the Spaniard will be heard after the Tour; a ridiculous state of affairs that does nothing for the ever-declining image of pro racing. Assuming Contador were to bag another win at the Tour this year (and he looks strong enough to) he could, if the Lausanne-based court finds against him, be stripped of his success, plus his 2010 title and even his recent standing at the Giro d’Italia. In other words a cloud of doubt will hang over more than a year’s worth of results whilst CAS edge painfully slowly towards making any kind of ruling.

 

Contador remains adamant that the traces of clenbuterol – which is similar to the asthma drug salbutamol and gives advantageous  aerobic capacity – found its way into his system via contaminated meat. He was initially cleared by The Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) before that decision was challenged by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Cyclo would be bored of this story if it didn’t have such wide-reaching ramifications and weren’t doing quite so much to damage the sport we love.

 

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Giro Victory for Contador

The 2011 Giro d’Italia has drawn to dramatic conclusion in Milan (Sunday, May 29) with Alberto Contador (Team Saxo Bank) pulling in a third place win on the final stage Individual Time Trial to secure overall victory with a time of  84:05:14. The Spaniard had, in all honesty, looked relatively unchallenged (even unchallengeable) since taking the lead way back on the ninth stage Mount Etna run.  Adding to his 2008 Giro title, the 2011 edition win now brings his Grand Tour victories to six. In a warm and sunny Milan it was Britain’s David Millar of Garmin who won the 26 kilometre ITT, taking a comfortable looking stage victory in just 30:13, seven seconds up on second place Alex Rasmussen (HTC-Highroad) and some 36 seconds ahead of Contador.

 

Although this year’s edition of the Italian classic delivered all of the expected action and some truly memorable stages of racing it will, of course, be most remembered for the tragic death of Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt of Leopard-Trek who died after crashing on the Giro’s third stage on May 9.

 

For full Giro d’Italia results see: www.uciprotour.com