Will Alberto Contador race the 2011 Tour de France? Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) hopes so.

Contador returned a positive sample for Clenbuterol at the 2010 race and will soon find out if he will face sanction.

“Of the last four Tours, Contador has won the three that he’s taken part in and he has earned the status of favourite,” Samuel Sanchez told Biciciclismo.com.

“Honestly, I would prefer if he is on the start line. A Tour without Contador would be like a Roland Garros without Nadal or Formula 1 without Alonso.”

Alberto Contador has recently been listed by his Team Saxo Bank-SunGard to ride the Tour of Murcia in March.

The team management knows that there is a big risk that the Spanish rider won't be there, but every team lists a number of riders for every race. A rider who is not listed, can not race. That's the reason why they have to name it. In case the Spanish rider is freed.

It seems like a decision on his suspension is expected sometime next month, and it will likely be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport too. It may take some time before the case is all cleared, as everybody must accept the answer.

Contador has denied doping and blames contaminated meat for his positive test results.