Alberto Contador to stay at Astana, says his brother

Alberto Contador’s brother Fran, who also acts as the defending Tour de France champion’s agent, has revealed that the cyclist is likely to remain with Astana for the 2011 season, with just some minor details needing to be ironed out ahead of a new two or three year contract.

Should the contract be signed, it would bring to an end months of speculation about Contador’s future. Last November, when Astana was awarded its ProTour license for 2010, the cyclist said that he planned to see out the final year of his contract with the Kazakh team, meaning that he would become a free agent at the end of the season.

Although his brother told the Spanish magazine Biciclismo that discussions had been held with other teams about the possibility of Contador joining them, he maintained that for now, “the most likely option” is that he would remain with Astana.

He added that “the sponsors are very interested in continuing with this project and make the best team around Alberto.”

The news comes ahead of a big weekend for Contador, who currently lies ninth in the general classification, with the Tour de France entering the Alps and his defence of the title he won for the second time last year beginning in earnest.