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Home » Top Stories » Road » Armstrong Comeback

Contador will stay at Astana

By Agence France Presse
Published: Oct. 18, 2008

Spaniard Alberto Contador, reigning champion of the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, on Saturday confirmed he will remain at Astana next season despite the potential problems posed by Lance Armstrong's plans to join the team.

"Next year I will continue with the Astana team," said Contador. "I've studied the situation and the alternatives."

The 2007 Tour de France winner said his concerns about Armstrong’s return have been addressed.

"After meeting with my director, Johan Bruyneel, and having spoken about what has happened in the last months and the articles that have been published, we put aside any tensions between us,” he said.

Contador hinted recently that he may leave following the signing of seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong, but later claimed he had been given assurances that he would remain team leader.

Contador has given conflicting reactions to American signing for his Kazakh-backed, Luxembourg-based team.

Last month, Spanish sports daily Marca quoted him as saying: "The team have given me assurances that I will be the leader, but I want to be doubly sure. I want to see exactly how this is going to pan out."