Contador comes 98th in race on eve of CAS verdict

MALLORCA, Spain (AP) - Nearing the verdict on his Tour de France doping case, Alberto Contador finished 98th in the Mallorca Challenge race on Sunday.

The Spaniard was expected to return to Madrid later with the Court of Arbitration for Sport delivering its ruling on Monday on whether he will be banned after returning a positive drug test in winning the 2010 Tour.

Contador, a three-time Tour champion, is facing a two-year ban for testing positive for clenbuterol, a result that he says came from contaminated beef he ate during the race.

The International Cycling Union and World Anti-Doping Agency challenged a Spanish cycling federation tribunal decision to exonerate Contador.