15 Feb 2011

Contador could be free to ride this week

5:57 am on 15 February 2011

Spanish media are reporting that Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will have his provisional one-year ban for failing a dope test lifted on appeal by the Spanish Cycling Federation.

The 28-year-old three-times Tour champion, the outstanding rider of his generation, has been suspended provisionally since August after the Spaniard tested positive for a small amount of the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol.

The Federation said it was unable to comment on the reports, and whether Contador was to be officially informed of their decision today, as it was a secret process.

Reports say the disciplinary committee had decided to accept Contador's appeal that he had inadvertently consumed the banned substance after eating a piece of contaminated meat during the Tour.

If he is cleared Contador will be able to compete in the Tour of Algarve which starts tomorrow.