Phil Wrochna presents Off The Bike on SEN1116.

It did not take long for the word to spread. "Contador has gone positive" was the word as the 2010 Tour de France winner allegedly tested positive to the banned substance Clenbuterol.

The followers of cycling took a deep breath and once again prepared to defend their sport.

The blowhards and detractors took a huge run-up and then barrelled in as another opportunity presented itself to take a pot at a sport so full of problems, a sport that has all the trappings of any good soap opera.

The colour, the speed, the talent and the off-course carry-on have cycling up there with any episode of the Bold and the Beautiful.

And with the 2006 Floyd Landis fiasco still haunting world governing body the UCI, this issue has now popped up to turn the credibility of one of the most popular sports in the world on its head ... again.

Contador announced early on Thursday that he had tested positive for the drug on July 21, during the second rest day of the Tour de France.

The report gives the concentration of Clenbuterol in the Spaniard's sample as 50 picograms/ml, a value 40 times below the value that the laboratory should be able to detect.

Armed with a phalanx of medical documents and a raft of experts queuing up to defend him, Contador held his press conference in his home town of Pinto to defend himself.

He even brought along his own scientist, Douwe de Boer, to outline the ins and outs of this case, based on food contamination.

The theories on this are widespread. Some physicians have backed him, saying food contamination is a legitimate defence.

Others, however, have alleged Contador transfused his own blood on the rest day and that blood contained the Clenbuterol.

For the moment, the majority of cyclists, including Cadel Evans and Fabian Cancellara, are waiting and watching.

David Millar, who took bronze in the time trial yesterday and has a drug past of his own, jumped to the defence of Contador.

The drug that has sporting scribes frantically searching the internet is essentially classed as a 'beta-2 agonist' and its short-term effects are similar to stimulant drugs such as amphetamines or ephedrine (i.e. it increases heart rate, temperature, perspiration and blood pressure).

That said, the drug is present in some meat, and food contamination is the argument/defence that Contador will stake his reputation and livelihood on.

The theory is simple enough. By eating contaminated meat Contador had the traces in his body.

These days Clenbuterol is not the drug of choice for today's discerning drug cheat, as it is a fairly clumsy drug and easy to detect.

However, this season Team Radio Shack rider Fuyu Li was suspended for using the Clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour of Flanders, so it is still around.

So where does this leave both cycling and Contador?

For the moment Contador is in limbo. His new team for 20 11, Saxo Bank, has suspended their hiring of him, subject to the outcome of this case.

He can have his B sample analysed but given both the A and B samples come from the one cup, the result will be relatively straight forward.

They will, of course, do this, and what Contador and his team will be looking for are irregularities in the laboratory testing procedures.

But it might be said that this is the least of the troubles for the Tour champion. He will have a long battle to clear his name and avoid a two-year ban that would leave him on the roadside while in his prime.

Regardless of what transpires over the coming months, the yellow jersey has become tainted again with another drugs controversy.

It's too easy for Joe Sixpack and Eddie Punchclock watching the news or any sports shows to damn cycling and all who ride.

The world championships yesterday saw an amazing day, with Cancellara taking his fourth world title in the time trial.

This was all overshadowed by the Contador mess and no doubt had the more cynical sporting fans questioning the performance and integrity of all those who turn a pedal in Geelong.

And up to a point, the cycling world only has itself to blame. But like any recovering addict, the sport of cycling will fall off the wagon occasionally.

The UCI should be applauded for the tireless fight against those who attempt to bypass the laws. They are getting caught. Let's hope for a quick end to just another day in cycling.