MADRID, March 24, 2011 – Spain’s Alberto Contador held on to the
leader’s jersey in the Tour of Catalonia on Thursday, hours after sport’s
governing body revived a doping case against the three-time Tour de France
champion.

Portugal’s Manuel Cardoso of the Radioshack team claimed Thursday’s fourth
stage, a 195-kilometer race from La Seu d’Urgell to El Vendrell in
northeastern Spain.

The 27-year-old edged Italy’s Giacomo Nizzolo of the Leopard Trek team and
Spain’s Jose Rojas of Movistar in a mass sprint finish in which all but two of
the 179 riders had the same time as the winner.

But it was Contador who was the center of attention after the International
Cycling Union (UCI) earlier announced it would appeal the Spanish federation’s
decision to acquit him of doing allegations.

The Spaniard had tested positive for a tiny amount of the banned
muscle-building substance clenbuterol during last July’s Tour, which he went
on to win.

But he was cleared to compete when the Spanish cycling federation (RFEC)
last month rescinded an initial decision to hand down a one-year ban,
accepting the rider’s claim that he had unknowingly eaten drug-contaminated
meat and was therefore not negligent.

The 28-year-old rider appeared to accept the UCI’s decision.

“I am among those who believe that if things happen it’s because they have
to happen and maybe it should go to the CAS who will make my innocence even
clearer,” he told reporters in Spain.

“It’s not a situation that I like but I have full confidence in the
arguments that my lawyers have presented.”

The Saxo Bank rider finished in 64th position on Thursday with the same
time as Cardoso to retain the leader’s jersey that he claimed during the
grueling third stage in the Pyrenees mountains.

He holds a 23-second lead over American Levi Leipheimer of Radioshack and
Italy’s Michele Scarponi of the Lampre team.

Fourth is Ireland’s Daniel Martin of Garmin and fifth American Chris Horner
of Radioshack, both 35 seconds behind Contador.

Cardoso said he was “delighted” with the stage win.

“The team worked hard for me… The last 15 kilometers they protected me
and brought me to the front…. At 300 meters I took the lead, gave everything
I had and nobody else was able to pass me, but it was close.”

On Friday, the riders take on the longest stage of event, a 205.8-kilometre
ride from Vendrell to Tarragona and which includes second category climbs.

Stage:

1. Manuel Cardoso (ESP) Radioshack 4hr 31min 45secs. 2. Giacomo Nizzolo
(ITA) Leopard Trek same time. 3. Jose Rojas (ESP) Movistar s.t. 4. Aitor
Galdos (ESP) Caja Rural s.t. 5. Frantisek Rabon (CZE) HTC s.t. 6. Samuel
Dumoulin (FRA) Cofidis s.t. 7. Will Clarke (AUS) Leopard Trek s.t. 8. Michel
Kreder (NED) Garmin s.t. 9. Michel Golas (POL) Vacansoleil s.t. 10. Daniel
Martin (IRL) Garmin s.t.

Overall standings:
1. Alberto Contador (ESP) Saxo Bank 17hr 38min 34sec, 2. Levi Leipheimer
(USA) Radioshack at 23sec, 3. Michele Scarponi (ITA) Lampre s.t.. 4. Daniel
Martin (IRL) Garmin at 35 sec. 5. Chris Horner (USA) s.t., 6. Rigoberto Uran
(COL) at 38 sec. 7. Ivan Basso (ITA) Liquigas s.t, 8. Xavier Tondo (ESP)
Movistar s.t. 9. Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC at 50 sec. 10. Bauke Mollema (NED)
Rabobank at 1min 12sec.