Lausanne - The doping-related hearing into Alberto Cantador in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) could take longer than the four planned days, Spanish media reports said on Tuesday.
The three time Tour de France winner tested positive for the forbidden substance clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour which he went on to win. He attributed the adverse finding to contaminated beef he ate before the doping test.
The Spanish federation cleared him of all charges, against which the ruling cycling body UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency lodged appeals before CAS.
Lawyers acting for the 28-year-old suggested to Spanish media that they were happy with the first day of the hearing, saying: "Things are going well."
A Spanish butcher testified that Contador's team had bought meat from him during the 2010 Tour.
The CAS hearing has been delayed twice since June and a verdict is not expected until January. If he is found guilty he will be stripped of the 2010 Tour title and other results including the 2011 Giro d'Italia title.