Despite rumors that he might switch to Caisse d’Epargne and defend his Tour de France title, Alberto Contador says he’s sticking with Astana, which received an un-vitation to the TdF and other events promoted by the Amaury Sports Organization.

Bully for him.

Andrew Hood of Velonews caught up with Contador and addressed the team-switch rumors.

Contador’s loyalty to team director Johan Bruyneel is admirable. Bruyneel took a chance on Contador last season with the Discovery Channel team, and the move paid off for both with Contador’s TdF title — Bruyneel’s eighth in nine years, including seven in a row by Lance Armstrong.

Contador, Bruyneel and Astana are targeting the Vuelta a Espana to make a statement about Astana’s standing as the premier team in elite cycling, despite ASO’s dubious claim that the best teams in cycling have been invited to this year’s Tour de France.

One factor might stand in the way of Astana’s quest to use the Vuelta as a showcase of its depth and ability. That would be ASO’s bid to buy into the Vuelta,  which is set to upstage the French race as the premier grand tour this season with Contador and Astana in the field. But if ASO gets its hands on the Vuelta, Astana might not be welcomed in Spain either.

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