( CNN ) -- Alberto Contador will ride for a new team when he seeks his fourth Tour de France title next year , after deciding not to renew his contract with Astana . The Spanish cyclist made the announcement on Wednesday , just three days after winning the sport 's premier event for the third time in four years . `` Alberto Contador has rejected the ultimatum of the Astana team , who had asked for a definitive answer to its offer of a contract renewal for the coming seasons , '' read a statement from his spokesman , the UK Press Association reported . `` Contador had asked for time to consider his future , given the importance of this decision . Although the positions of both parties were not so far apart , the team wanted to know urgently whether or not the winner of the Triple Crown would lead the team in 2011 , and that 's where the positions began to differ . '' The 27-year-old joined Astana -- which is owned by a group of state-run companies from Kazakhstan -- in 2008 . Contador claims third Tour de France title . He had won the Tour for the first time with the Discovery Channel team in 2007 , but Astana were not allowed to enter the following year after doping scandals . Contador claimed the title again last year despite an uneasy relationship with Astana teammate Lance Armstrong , the seven-time champion who was making his racing comeback after a short retirement . Armstrong 's team faces hearing over jerseys . With Armstrong leaving after the 2009 event to form his own team , RadioShack , Contador was the clear leader of Astana this year despite the successful return by Alexandre Vinokourov , who had quit in 2008 after being banned for blood doping . Contador has yet decide where he will ride next year , his spokesman said . `` After winning the 2010 Tour de France , Alberto Contador wants to have time to calmly explore all possibilities available to him to ride during the coming seasons , but so far none has been excluded , '' the statement said .
Three - time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador decides to leave the team . The Spanish cyclist has been with the Kazakhstani outfit since 2008 . The 27-year - old released a statement saying he was not ready to make a decision to leave . Contador said he has yet decide where he will go next year .