Contador races again as his acquittal is questioned (News Feature)

By Peter Auf der Heyde Feb 16, 2011, 16:27 GMT

Berlin - A day after his appeal against a year-long doping ban was upheld by the Spanish cycling federation (RFEC) three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador returned to competitive cycling.

Contador was given a one-year-ban by the RFEC after testing positive for the banned performance-enhancing drug clenbuterol during last year's Tour, which he won.

The 28-year-old Spaniard appealed against the one-year ban which was given to him by the RFEC just three weeks ago, claiming the positive result came from contaminated meat.

The Saxo Bank cyclist wasted no time in returning to racing and was amongst the starters in Wednesday's first stage of the Tour of the Algarve.

He has also said that he will participate in this year's Giro d'Italia. 'But I will only decide on my other races this year at a later stage.

'I am very happy, but I am still far away from my best form,' Contador, who was wearing the yellow jersey after winning the race on the Algarve last year, said after competing on Wednesday.

His doping troubles however seem far from over, as pressure is mounting on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and cycling's governing body UCI to appeal against Tuesday's decision.

The International Olympic Committee vice-president Thomas Bach said that he hoped the two bodies would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.

'I strongly hope that UCI and WADA appeal to CAS to ensure that this case is really solved,' he told the German Press Agency dpa.

'As there are a number of factors that point to a doping case, Contador's excuse of contaminated steaks is not the most original,' Bach said.

UCI, who have a month to appeal, and WADA, who have three weeks longer, have said they would study the RFEC decision before taking further steps, but it seems likely that the matter will be taken to CAS.

Contador, who claimed the positive result came from contaminated meat, said that the ongoing case had led to sleep disorder and loss of hair.

'My image has suffered so much that it will be impossible to overcome this. People wanted to execute me,' he said.

Contador had received widespread support from Spanish politicians and even Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had called for the appeal to be upheld, prompting the UCI president Pat McQuid to critically remark: 'That is very disappointing, but nothing really surprises me coming out of Spain.'

Read more about Contador

Read more about Cycling Spain