Contador expects quick resolution of doping charges

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Alberto Contador says he expects the International Cycling Union to resolve his case quickly, in “eight or ten days,” as he continues to protest his innocence in a series of interviews.

The Spaniard has revealed to Eurosport that while he has received support from many sources, he has heard nothing from his current team Astana nor from former teammate Lance Armstrong. He said he now has basically no relationship with the Astana team. “I have no communication with them.” Contador has signed to ride with Team Saxo Bank in the coming year, and while “they are holding neutral”, they have indicated their support for him.

As for Armstrong, “He has not sent me any message or called me, but I have heard from other people what he thinks about the issue,” Contador said, without indicating what Armstrong's opinion was.

Contador insisted he trusts the anti-doping system and the testing procedure but would struggle to accept any kind of ban.

"People who know me and people who have been working with me know that I'm innocent," he said. "I completely trust the dope test process. I had eight tests during last Tour de France. Scientific evidence supports me."

Asked if he expected a ban, he said: "That's something that I cannot contemplate, especially when you know that you haven't done anything wrong. I don't know what is going to happen but I know that it is difficult to be banned when you haven't done anything wrong. It is really hard to accept that I may be banned."

"I really think people across Europe trust me. It’s a totally unjust situation. I’m a completely transparent person, dedicated to the struggle against doping and the call for anti-doping sanctions against teams. I'm defending my position so ferociously because I'm speaking the truth, the whole truth. I don't want to think that people in France, Germany or on the Tour de France have something against me. I don't want to think that there is something else involved."