The hearing into the two year suspension on Italian soil imposed by the Italian national Olympic committee (CONI) had been scheduled for November 16.

But CAS said the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had recently been allowed to join the case, delaying the procedure.

“As a consequence, all parties concerned have agreed to postpone the hearing that was initially fixed for 16 November 2009,” it added.

CONI claim a blood sample taken from the Spaniard at the Tour de France when it passed through Italy in 2008 matched DNA from a blood bag seized during the 'Operation Puerto' doping scandal that erupted in May 2006.