Contador waits on CAS' clenbuterol case ruling

Alberto Contador was expected to return to Madrid from Mallorca, where he was competing in the Trofeo Palma, the first stage of the Mallorca Challenge, ahead of the long-awaited decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over his racing future.

Rolling over the line on Sunday some 15 seconds behind the main group will not have concerned the triple Tour de France winner; any and all competition is better than none. The CAS has delayed the proceedings against Contador, who tested positive for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France, on several occasions. Initially it set the hearing for June 2-4, 2011, but later moved the date to August. The matter was finally brought before the Lausanne court in late November, with a verdict expected shortly afterward. However, the CAS again dragged its feet in the face of allegations of bias against one of the sitting magistrates. After three delays, it announced it would finally rule on February 6.

Contador maintains that the banned substance entered his bloodstream through a contaminated steak he ate during the 2010 race. On Monday, a year and a half later, he will learn if his multitudinous defense team has convinced the CAS of same.