Archive for the ‘Cycling News’ Category

• Contador is uncertain about his future

  Date: 2010.11.26 | Category: Cycling News, Sports News | Response: 0

  The Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador is going through really though time, as he is facing accusations for the use of illegal substances during the 2010 Tour de France, which he won for the third time in his career. Clenbuterol is the name of the substance that he tested positive in his urine, as very small traces of this aerobic capacity enhancer where found.

  The case began shortly after July 25, day that Contador was crowned as the Tour de France champion. The Competition Committee of the Spanish Federation -entity responsible for giving a verdict- is still conducting investigations, making the process really exhausting for the cyclist, who wants to prove his innocence.

  Contador claims that the 50 picograms of clenbuterol found in his urine where ingested through tainted meat. The substance is used on animals to obtain leaner meats, therefore he has a point. The problem is that they can’t find a sample of the meat that he ingested, as that stock no longer exists. 

   He doesn’t have doubt of his innocence and transparency, but he is also aware that if he can’t convince the Competition Committee, he could be facing a two year penalty.

  Questioned about this scenario where he would be out of competition for two years, Contador said that he couldn’t assure if he was going to continue his career after that, and didn’t want to go deeper into this hypotheses, as he hopes to have a verdict on his favor before New Year’s Eve.

• Contador in the eye of the storm

  Date: 2010.10.01 | Category: Cycling News, Sports News | Response: 0

  Tour de France champion, Spaniard Alberto Contador, is facing charges for the use of illegal, performance-enhancing drugs, as a result of the tests he was submitted to during that competition. The substance that he is being accused for is clenbuterol, which enhances aerobic capacity, blood pressure, and oxygen transportation, and stimulates the central nervous system.

  Contador gave a news conference to clean up his name, claiming that he was the victim in this situation. He wanted to justify the accusation staining his name by blaming it to a piece of tainted meat that he ate the day before the test.

  He claims that the amount of this substance found on the tests is so minimum that it couldn’t possible have affected his performance, and that the only way that he could have possibly ingest was through tainted food.

  Contador is still part of Team Astana, but on 2011 he will be defending team Saxo Bank, from whom he expects support to overcome this tough situation.

  Now the ghosts that have been trying to haunt Lance Armstrong accusing him of using illegal substances in the Tour de France seemed to have found a new target. The final word will come from the UCI –Union Cycliste Internationale -, ruling entity of this sport.