Contador close to deal

Two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador may stay with the Astana team until 2010, but no longer than that, Spanish media said on Tuesday.

The Spanish rider will make a decision in the coming days, but there is no question of him remaining at the Kazakh team for more than another year, sports dailies AS and Marca said.

Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad reported that Astana had offered Contador $12 million a year over four years. Another Belgian daily, Le Soir, said he was on the point of signing for two years for $6 million a year.

But Marca said Contador's brother and manager, Fran, dismissed the figure of $12 million.

"If we stay with Astana, and that is still not certain, it will be for one year and for less than half of that amount," it quoted him as saying.

Any deal with Astana, with whom Contador is under contract until 2010, is dependent on the team obtaining its ProTour licence by November 20. If it fails, then Contador is free to break his contract.

Astana was one of a number of teams found lacking by the International Cycling Union in their administration and financing when they applied for the licence.

Several teams, including Garmin, Quick Step and Caisse d'Epargne, are keen to sign Contador if he decides not stay with Astana.

Contador won the Tour de France in 2007 with Discovery Channel and again this year with Astana, which he joined in the 2008 season.