Alberto Contador may be free to ride Tour de France

Contador had originally been due to face a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing in the first week of June after the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had appealed the decision by the Spanish National Cycling Federation (RFEC) to clear the rider of doping at last year's Tour.

The 28 year-old, who won his third Tour in July 2010, tested positive for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol during a rest day at last year's three-week stage race before claiming he had ingested contaminated meat brought over the border from his homeland.

The news that Contador had tested positive was not released for over two months after the race had finished and the ongoing saga, now, appears likely to overshadow this year's race.

CAS originally said the hearing would take place before the world's biggest bike race starts in the Vendée region on July 2.

"CAS envisages to hold a hearing in June," they said. "Which would allow the settlement of the dispute before the end of June," the court said.

However, a spokesman for Cantador has said the hearing may not take place before the race and so allow the Saxo Bank-SunGard rider to compete.

"What is clear is that the dates of June 6, 7, 8 for the hearing are no longer applicable," said Jacinto Vidarte. "It's not at all clear whether the hearing will even take place before the Tour de France.

"Next week, there will be a meeting to provisionally set up possible dates for the hearing."

Contador is currently racing in Italy where he leads the Giro d'Italia.

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Contador hearing expected in June

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has named a three-man panel to hear Alberto Contador's doping case and expects a verdict before July's Tour de France.

Cas has chosen Israeli lawyer Efraim Barak to chair the panel, which includes Quentin Byrne-Sutton of Switzerland and Germany's Ulrich Haas.

Contador was cleared by the Spanish Cycling Federation of a positive clenbuterol test during the 2010 Tour.

The International Cycling Union and World Anti-Doping Agency have appealed.

Cas has not fixed a date to hear the case but said in a statement: "The written proceedings in this matter are likely to be concluded at the end of May.

"The Cas envisages to hold a hearing in June, which would allow the settlement of the dispute before the end of June."

Under Cas regulations, each party in a dispute can choose an arbitrator to work with the court-appointed chairman.

Contador's legal team selected Haas, while the UCI and Wada picked Byrne-Sutton.

The Spaniard can ride until Cas hears the case, but he faces a possible two-year ban and being stripped of his 2010 Tour de France victory if the Lausanne-based court finds against him.

Should Cas rule against Wada and the UCI, the 28-year-old will be free to defend his title; the 2011 race starts on 2 July.

Contador tested positive for the banned drug clenbuterol - he had minute traces of the drug in his urine samples - days before his third Tour de France win, in July 2010.

Clenbuterol, similar to the asthma drug salbutamol, is used to treat breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. It causes an increase in aerobic capacity, blood pressure and oxygen transportation, and speeds the rate at which fats are burned.

The Spanish federation accepted Contador's explanation that he had inadvertently consumed the drug in contaminated beef.

The World Anti-Doping Agency regards clenbuterol as a zero-tolerance drug, though its rules allow athletes to escape a sanction if they prove "no fault or negligence" on their part.

The UCI announced last September that Contador was provisionally suspended and asked the Spanish federation to investigate.

The federation's disciplinary committee originally proposed a one-year ban for Contador in January 2011, but his legal team then offered new evidence and he was cleared to race three weeks later.

Days before the decision, Spain's Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, had said that there was "no legal reason to justify sanctioning Contador".

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Giro d'Italia 2011: Alberto Contador expected to compete

The 2008 winner was among 207 riders from 23 teams named on the list of riders to compete in the opening grand tour of the season.

The Spaniard, whose reputation has been tainted following a positive test for clenbutrenol at last year's Tour, is waiting for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to rule on an appeal by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over the Spanish federation clearing him of the doping charge.

Saxo Bank-SunGard's Contador has not competed in the world's second biggest stage race since as he has concentrated on July's Tour each year.

However, following the fallout from his positive test last year for clenbutrenol, which Contador has blamed on contaminated meat, the 28 year-old is heading to Italy with his Tour place possibly in doubt.

CAS has said it is confident it can rule on his case before July's race.

Ivan Basso, last year's Giro winner, is among the big names skipping this year's race to focus on the Tour.

Katusha's Danilo di Luca, 2007 Giro winner and second in 2009, returns after being banned last year for taking CERA, a new generation of the blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO).

Giro d'Italia route

May 7, stage one: Turin, team time trial, 21.5km
May 8, stage two: Alba - Parma, 242km
May 9, stage three: Reggio - Emilia-Rapallo, 178km
May 10, stage four: Quarto - Livorno, 208km
May 11, stage five: Piombino - Orvieto, 201km
May 12, stage six: Orvieto - Fiuggi, 195km
May 13, stage seven: Maddaloni - Montevergine di Mercogliano, 100km
May 14, stage eight: Sapri - Tropea 214km
May 15, stage nine: Messina - Etna 159km
May 16, rest day
May 17, stage 10: Termoli - Teramo 156km
May 18, stage 11: Tortoreto Lido - Castelfidardo, 160km
May 19, stage 12: Castelfidardo - Ravenna, 171km
May 20, stage 13: Spilimbergo - Grossglockner (Austria), 159km
May 21, stage 14: Linz (Austria) - Monte Zoncolan, 210km
May 22, stage 15: Conegliano - Gardeccia Val di Fassa 230km
May 23, rest day
May 24, stage 16: Belluno - Nevegal, individual time trial, 12.7km
May 25, stage 17: Feltre - Sondrio 246km
May 26, stage 18: Morbegno - San Pellegrino Terme, 147km
May 27, stage 19: Bergamo - Macugnaga, 211km
May 28, stage 20: Verbania - Sestriere, 242km
May 29, stage 21: Milan, individual time-trial, 32.8km

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