While the excuse seems contrived, the Contador case could rival the truly inspired ratonalization of French tennis star Richard Gasquet, who explained his positive cocaine test as the result of kissing a girl in a night club. Later testing seemed to reinforce his defense.

Contador also can take solace, perhaps, in the absolution of Italian racing star Franco Pellizotti, the bronze finisher in the 2009 Tour of Italy who later was placed under suspicion due to irregularities in his biological passport — a new anti-doping measure that looks at performance irregularities.

The most critical line in the news article:

Pellizotti’s lawyer, Rocco Taminelli, declared: “The biological passport is not reliable.”

If true, at least from a legal standpoint in a court of law, it could doom the whole concept.

The New York Times and Associated Press reported that traces of a plasticizer used in IV bags were found in Contador’s blood samples, indicating that he might have used a transfusion to refresh his blood during the Tour. Removing one’s blood, storing it and then replacing it with a clandestine transfusion is a documented way of cheating while eluding doping controls.

A Contador blood sample earlier was found to contain minute amounts of clenbuterol, an aerobic aid also considered a performance-enhancer. Contador contends he ate beef contaminated with the substance, but insiders remain skeptical.

Meanwhile, disgraced Tour champion Bernhard Kohl continues to note that in today’s climate it’s impossible to win without cheating.

So why not just sit it out holding your head high?

Instead the 3-time Tour de France winner, who we still contend did not deserve to win the 2010 title, is doing a Barry Bonds-style press tour that begs Shakespearean interpretation (as in methinks thou dost protest too much).

Tainted beef gave him the suspect reading, Contador contends. And if cycling authorities don’t take his word for it, he’ll quit in a hissy fit of whining pique.

If this is not resolved favorably and in just fashion then I would have to consider whether I would ever get back on a bike …

If the Sullen Spaniard is so sure of his innocence, why not just let the science play out and, once vindicated, let the result speak for itself?

Pro cyclists could really use a press agent or two. They seem clueless as to how they come across to a public long fed up with giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Not much is known about the substance, clenbuterol, and Contador reportedly contends that food contamination is the only possible source.

Reaction is low key so far.

If Contador is found in violation and stripped of his Tour title, it hopefully will go to Andy Schleck, who deserved the overall win anyway.

You'll be seeing him in yellow...

Andrew Hood of VeloNews speculates on who may follow the Schlecks and Contador to their new teams.

The win gave the world’s fastest human on two wheels his fourth win in this Tour and 14th stage win in the Tour overall. The gap between Cavendish and No. 2 Julian Dean, a teammate of Wenatchee’s Tyler Farrar, made it look like the peloton was coasting. The overhead shot is pretty amazing as Cavendish bullets off the front.

We’ll try to get film at 11.

Otherwise the general classification stayed the same, with Alberto Contador retaining the yellow jersey by a scant 8 seconds over Andy Schleck. Tomorrow’s 32-mile time trial will provide the race’s real climax, either confirming Contador’s right to this year’s trophy or fueling a debate likely to last for the ages over whether he should have waited for Schleck on Stage 15.

Schleck simply could not shake Contador, who sucked wheel for kilometer after kilometer. That’s all he had to do, and it was not the way a champion wins a Tour. But Contador did not look like he had the kick to drop Schleck — he tried once, without success — so shadowing was the only realistic alternative.

If all goes according to expectations, Contador will win the 97th Tour de France in Paris on Sunday. Schleck will probably be second, although the day-before time trial could press him.

In any case, Andy can be congratulated for leaving it all on the pave this year.

As for Contador, the squeaky-voiced Spaniard remains a question-mark in the charisma department. Today’s ride proves that he will deserve the title, but only if he increases his 8-second lead during Saturday’s time trial. Psychologically, he will have to win the Tour by at least 40 seconds to erase the stain of Stage 15′s attack while Schleck was disabled by a thrown chain. (You can make the case, in fact, that Contador will have to win by at least a minute, due to the overall down time Schleck suffered.)

Today’s bottom line: Andy pushed, Contador followed. For the former, it was heroism. For the latter, it was classic Tour strategy. Each racer both won and lost today, but in different ways.

Schleck may not win the Tour, but he’s won the world cycling community’s heart. Ultimately, that may count for more.

Full report from Cyclingnews.com.

French national champion Thomas Voeckler brought home another stage win for the home country in this year’s Tour, riding off the front of a 10-minute breakaway up the final shark-tooth climb.

But the tragedy of the day, and perhaps the Tour, came when Schleck, just starting to put the hammer down on Alberto Contador, threw his chain and almost front-kicked over the bars. It wasn’t clear exactly what happened — we’re guessing a slack cable left him just enough between gears to throw the chain when Andy put down pressure hard — but by the time Schleck dismounted and got things going again, Contador was nearly 20 seconds up the road. [UPDATE: VeloNews speculates on possible causes for Schleck's lost chain.]

Benefiting not just from Schleck’s misfortune but the downhilling skills of Sammy Sanchez and a small group of race leaders, Contador finished 8 seconds in the lead, taking 39 seconds from Schleck on the day.

So the debate of the day — and perhaps of the 2010 Tour de France — will be whether Contador should have waited, as is the prerogative of any racer. Waiting is not required by the rules, but has been done in the past as a matter of courtesy and “champion etiquette.” (In 2003 Jan Ullrich waited for Lance Armstrong.)

“My stomach is full of anger, I want to take my revenge,” Schleck told Versus TV after the stage. He acknowledged, “It’s not to me to decide” whether it was fair for Contador to keep riding on, but did add: “It was not something I would do.”

Andy can take comfort in one thing: Contador obviously is scared. If the two-time Tour champion was confident, he would never have ridden away.

One new wrinkle we did get a chuckle out of: Versus is running a commercial where Schleck and Contador get into a playground snit, “Did so, did not!” for Specialized. You can barely understand what they’re saying (both speak in thick accents) but the point is made. Glad to see this comic relief from the “Gladiator” nature of the blow-by-blow commentary.

Although maybe given today’s grim turn of events, the repartee should be, “Should’ve waited!” “Should not!”

UPDATES

Pro-Contador Bikehugger gets plenty of pushback.

VeloNews reports on Lance Armstrong and other pros’ reactions.

CyclingNews full report on Stage 15.

Our man Andy looked comfortable up most of the Côte de la Croix-Neuve, with grades reaching 14 percent and averaging out at more than 10 percent, till Contador breezily broke away and put on the big hurt. We were disappointed not to see Andy respond, but he knew he would keep the yellow jersey and may be playing a tactical game as well.

Another Spaniard — they seem to be everywhere this year — Joaquim Rodriguez, took the stage win with a final sprint against Contador. Schleck finished 10 seconds behind.

Not much of a shakeup in the leaders, with Levi Leipheimer remaining in 6th (more than 4 minutes behind) as the highest-placed American. Lance Armstrong continues to fade, finishing more than three and a half minutes out today.

Full report from CyclingNews.com.