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Contador's TDF entry hot potato
21/02/2008 22:08 - (SA)
Madrid - Astana won't let Alberto Contador defend his Tour de France title for any other team.
Astana team director Johan Bruyneel said in Thursday's edition of sports daily Marca: "There is no possibility of Contador riding with another team because, first and foremost, Alberto has said he is unable to do so and he knows that here we have done everything and we will continue to do everything with him in mind."
Tour organisers banned Astana from this year's race after a number of doping controversies during the 2007 edition. Astana was also not invited to compete at the Giro d'Italia.
World cycling's governing body said on Wednesday that it would do all it could - including taking Tour organisers to court - to allow Astana to compete at cycling's most prestigious race.
Team barred in 2006
Contador signed a two-year contract with Astana after following Bruyneel from the disbanded Discovery Channel team.
"I'm sure in the end of this journey everyone will see that Alberto made the right choice in signing with Astana," Bruyneel said.
It is the second time in three years that Contador could miss the Tour after the Spaniard's former Liberty Seguros team was barred in 2006 due to its links to the Operation Puerto doping investigation.
- SAPA
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