CYCLING: THE TRIPLE Tour de France winner Alberto Contador claims he has never used banned drugs and asserted his determination to appeal against the Spanish Cycling Federation's proposed 12-month ban for his positive test for a small amount of the bronchial stimulant clenbuterol.
“I will fight to prove my innocence until the end, no matter how long it takes,” Contador said. “I am innocent. I have never doped in my career. I say that loud and clear, with my head held high. I am an example of cleanliness in this sport.
“I feel like a victim of a system that doesn’t allow you to defend yourself and that allows false positives to be punished as if they were cheaters.”
Notice of the proposed sanction was given to Contador on Wednesday, but it has yet to be formalised and Contador now has a week to put in an initial appeal. After that the Spanish federation will announce a formal sanction, and only then can the appeals begin in earnest as the International Cycling Union and World Anti-Doping Agency can become involved.
“You must remember this is just a proposal,” the Spaniard, whose 2010 Tour win is at risk, said. “I will fight with all my strength to get it modified. And if that doesn’t happen, I will appeal or I will fail.”
There seems no prospect of his accepting the 12-month ban, so a lengthy legal fight is in prospect. Contador’s boss at the Saxo Bank team, Bjarne Riis, looks to have accepted that, as he hinted yesterday he has begun making plans to compensate for his leader’s probable absence at the Tour de France this year.
GuardianService
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AFTER several months away from competition, the Irish-backed An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly team gets back into action tomorrow in the Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise in the south of France, writes Shane Stokes.
Eight riders have been selected for the one-day event, and will also race in the Etoile de Bességes, from next Wednesday until Sunday.
Of those eight, two Irish are taking part: Ronan McLaughlin returns from last year’s team, while Philip Lavery will step up a level in officially starting with the team.
Also moving to the team is another talented Irishman, Sam Bennett. He won a stage in the FBD Rás as a first-year senior. He raced with the VC La Pomme team last season.
He and Mark Cassidy will be part of an eight-man team for the prestigious Tour of Qatar, from February 6th-11th. Former Belgian road race champion Niko Eeckhout leads the team. The same selection will also ride the Tour of Oman, starting February 15th.
General manager Kurt Bogaerts sees the events as goals unto themselves, but also selling points for the team. He said: “At the GP Marseilles I hope to see a top-10 finish, while in our first stage race race, the Etoile de Bességes, we are targeting a high placement and a stage win.”
David McCann was 51st on yesterday’s fifth stage of the Tour of Langkawi to the top of the Genting Highlands, and lies 43rd overall heading into the sixth of 10 stages.
Grand Prix Cysliste la Marseillaise Etoile de Bességes(Feb 3rd-7th): Philip Lavery (Ire), Ronan McLaughlin (Ire), Darijus Dzervus (Ltu), Dries Hollanders (Bel), Kess Heytens (Bel), Kenny Terweduwe (Bel), Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel), Bjorn Brems (Bel).
Tour of Qatar(Feb 6th-11th) and Tour of Oman (Feb 15th-20th): Niko Eeckhout (Bel- Team Leader), Mark Cassidy (Ire), Sam Bennett (Ire), Andy Fenn (Brit), Mark McNally (Brit), Kevin Claeys (Bel), Maxim De Busschere (Bel), Gediminas Begdonas (Ltu).
