Those seeking a role model might baulk at the three-time Tour de France winner being included on a list of sports stars. There was his unseemly via-the-media spat with Lance Armstrong during and after the 2009 Tour and then an ethically questionable breakaway from rival Andy Schleck during the 2010 race, just after the Luxembourg rider’s chain came loose. And let’s not forget the clenbuterol doping case from the same year hanging over this cyclist from Pinto, Madrid, who insists he tested positive after eating some contaminated meat. But if you had to choose the world’s most talented road racer, especially if you throw some mountains into the mix, then Contador’s your man. … [Read more...] about Alberto Contador
Spanish cycling
Contador in the clear, but under a cloud
Alberto Contador, taking his place at the start line of the Volta ao Algarve last week after the Spanish cycling federation had overturned a proposed one-year ban for doping, described his mere presence at the race as “a real victory.” The Spanish cyclist’s last competitive victory had come at the 2010 Tour de France, where riding with the Astana team Contador won the race for a third time. In August, a month after the Tour ended, it was announced that Contador had tested positive for a banned steroid, clenbuterol, during the race. He was placed under provisional suspension by the International Cycling Union, leading to a six-month period of claim, counter-claim and profound … [Read more...] about Contador in the clear, but under a cloud