Horner Takes La Vuelta S3

A daring break paid off for Christopher Horner as the RadioShack-Leopard rider claimed victory on stage three of La Vuelta between Vigo and Mirador de Lobeira.

The American pulled away from the peleton with less than a kilometre to go on the 172.5km course, passing leader Ivan Santaromita (BMC) with ease and making a dart for the finish.

Vuelta favourites Alejandro Valverde(Movistar) and Joaquim Rodriguez(Katusha) tried to close Horner down but were unable to catch him and had to settle for second and third place, respectively.

The stage win sees Horner take the lead in the general classification with an eight-second advantage over Vincenzo Nibali.

Nicolas Roche, riding for Team Saxo-Tinkoff, lies third in the Vuelta a España after adding a ninth-placed finish to his stage win on Sunday.

One of La Vuelta's stranger routes, Stage 3 featured an extremely smooth 172.5-kilometre stretch before spiking painfully at the end. This flat section plays host to a sharp ascent and the capacity to burn energy rapidly in the latter moments.

Daniel Martin finished in fifth place in today's stage between Vigo and Mirador de Lobeira.

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Contador to Ride for Team Saxo Bank

Alberto Contador will return to ride for Team Saxo Bank when his two-year ban ends in August.

The Spanish cyclist was stripped of his 2010 Tour de France title for failing a doping test, and Luxembourg rider Andy Schleck was awarded the yellow jersey,

Contador, 29, has signed a contract for the remainder of this season and for the next three years.

"The support I have experienced from them in a very difficult situation is extraordinary," Contador said.

Contador was banned for testing positive for the anabolic steroid clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France, but blamed his positive test on eating contaminated steak.

"The decision to return to Team Saxo Bank has actually been pretty easy, and my first priority was always to rejoin the team and to continue working with (team manager) Bjarne Riis, and the rest of the team," Contador said.

Riis said that the team always intended to rehire Contador when his suspension ended.

"A lot of speculation and rumours have surrounded Alberto Contador and his future in the past months, but our sponsors, the team and Alberto have shared the same wish to continue and build on our relationship," he said.

"Throughout these last two tough years we have stood by Alberto, so to be able to announce his return to the team is something I have been really looking forward to.

"Now we can put an end to this speculation and start focusing on building the team for the coming years."

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) banned Contador in February 2012 , but backdated the ban to 25 January 2011, the date the Spanish Cycling Federation (REFC) initially proposed a one-year ban.

Contador served five months and 19 days of a provisional suspension in 2010-11, so his ban will run until 5 August this year rather than 25 January 2013.

Contador Team Retain World Status

Alberto Contador's Saxo Bank-SunGard team have kept their World Tour status despite having the Spaniard's points removed from their record.

Contador, 29, a three-time winner of the Tour de France, won 68% of Saxo's 2011 points total and is serving a two-year ban for a positive drugs test.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) asked for Saxo's licence to be revoked.

But the UCI's licence commission has ruled that Saxo can keep their tour status for 2012.

The commission decided that although Saxo do not meet the sporting requirements for their licence, the exceptional circumstances of Contador's ban meant they should be allowed to race this year.

But without Contador, the Danish team will have to improve considerably to stand a chance of securing enough points to race again in 2013.

They are currently bottom of the UCI world rankings, with just two points so far this year.

Contador was found to have traces of the banned substance clenbuterol in urine tests taken during the 2010 Tour de France.

His explanation - that he had eaten contaminated meat - was rejected by cycling's governing body.

As well as having his 2010 Tour de France victory annulled, none of Contador's successes in 2011 - including his victory in the Giro d'Italia - are now recognised.

Contador Team Face Challenge

Alberto Contador's Saxo Bank-SunGard team could be thrown off the World Tour after the Professional Cycling Council wiped the banned Spaniard's points from the team's 2010 and 2011 record.

Contador has been banned for two years after testing positive for banned substance clenbuterol.

“If the points obtained by Contador are disregarded, his team would no longer be considered to fulfil the sporting criterion required for the UCI World Tour”International Cycling Union (UCI)

His 2011 points contributed 68% of the Danish team's total haul for the year.

Without them the Danish outfit's total may not be sufficient to qualify it among the world's top-ranked teams.

The 29-year-old Spaniard was found to have traces of clenbuterol in urine tests taken during the 2010 Tour de France , and his explanation - that he was the victim of eating contaminated meat - was not accepted by cycling's governing body.

As well as having his 2010 Tour de France win struck from the record, none of Contador's successes in 2011 - including his victory in the Giro d'Italia - are any longer recognised.

"The International Cycling Union will today [Friday] ask its Licence Commission to issue a ruling on whether the Saxo Bank-Sungard team should retain its place in the UCI World Tour," a UCI statement said, as the organisation met in Geneva.

"If the points obtained by Contador, representing approximately 68% of the Saxo Bank-Sungard team's total points, are disregarded, his team would no longer be considered to fulfil the sporting criterion required for the Tour."

Contador has always maintained his innocence but has begun to serve a ban of two years, applied retroactively from 25 January, 2011.

His suspension will run until 5 August, meaning the three-time Tour de France champion will miss this year's event as well as the London Olympics.

However, his ban finishes before the start of his home tour, the Vuelta a Espana, which is scheduled to run from 18 August to 9 September.