Five Questions to Clear-up the Contador Clenbuterol Affair

As suggested by a correspondent:

1. Where did the meat come from?
2. Does the farmer regularly supply his stock with CB?
3. Is it a common practice in Spain to dope your cattle with CB?
4. Test several of his cows right now. Do they come positive for CB? If so, at what concentration?
5. Is the level of CB found in AC’s urine consistent with the amount that would be found in a person who ingested N grams of beef from stock that may have had N % of first generation CB in the bloodstream?

By providing answers to these questions, Alberto Contador can do much to support his claims of having been victimized. I, for one, would very much like for him to prove his case and earn his exoneration.

The Return of Manolo Saiz - Venga!

Manolo Saiz is plotting his comeback to professional cycling, according to Cyclingnews.com, and is supposedly organizing a top-level team for 2012. While Twitter and the forums are abuzz with outraged cycling fans who claim the Spaniard should somehow be refused the chance to return to the sport, I say "Venga."

There is so little money in cycling relative to the truly professional sports like the NFL, MLB and NBA - and so much instability and unpredictability - that it's incredibly short-sighted to reject Saiz based on his alleged-involvement in doping via Operación Puerto (remember, he was never convicted of anything - we must be accurate in describing the historical record). If he can secure the backing to fund a team that will employ 20-plus riders and at least that many staff, if not double, then he should be welcomed with open arms and a stern warning - or at least a reminder. Doping has been criminalized in Spain now, so Saiz wouldn't be able to escape sanction were he proved to be involved in systematic doping at the level of the team. And his riders would be controlled by the Biopassport, which adds a layer of dissuasion.

I support clean-cycling, no doubt, but at the same time, I support the right of the riders to earn a living. And unlike Formula 1, professional cycling simply cannot have too many (ProContinental) teams. If the squad offers a stable paycheck to both rider and staff alike, then in the absence of an active sanction or ban enforceable by the UCI, Manolo Saiz should be welcomed back to cycling and the positive economic impact of his efforts should be acknowledged, even while he is warned not to get up to any funny business.

ONCE was Probably Cleaner than this Team

Kelme leads the 2002 Vuelta a España (c) vuelta.com

ONCE era el equipo más limpio - Manolo Saiz

In an interview appearing on diariodenavarra.es, Spain's most-acclaimed cycling team boss "Manolo" Saiz claims ONCE was the cleanest team in the peloton and states his willingness to return to cycling at the conclusion of Operation Puerto. Saiz is a legend - but figures notoriously in the biggest blood-doping scandal in the history of cycling.

Wikipedia describes Manuel "Manolo" Saiz Balbás (born 16 October 1959, Torrelavega, Cantabria) as the former team manager of one of the most successful Spanish professional road bicycle racing teams, first called Team ONCE, then Liberty Seguros-Würth, Astana-Würth, and lastly Astana Team.

Saiz is further described by the online encyclopedia as a hands-on manager and directeur sportif. He consolidated his riders' training and hired staff to manage their coaching and racing. Despite not having a racing background, he nurtured ONCE to become one of the biggest teams. His riders included Frenchman Laurent Jalabert and Swiss Alex Zülle; both dominated the Vuelta a España, each winning the general and other classifications. In 1995 Jalabert achieved the trifecta by winning the general classification along with the points and King of the Mountains. Saiz's next riders included Spaniard Abraham Olano, Igor González de Galdeano and Joseba Beloki (pictured below). ONCE dominated team time trials in the Tour de France.

Joseba Beloki leads Aitor González in the Vuelta a España's 15th stage,
from Gijón - l'Angliru; 22 September 2002 (c) lavuelta.com

At the end of the 2003 ONCE discontinued sponsorship, saying penetration was 100% in Spain, meaning every Spaniard knew what ONCE was. Saiz brought Liberty Seguros (the Spanish branch of the US company Liberty Mutual) and Würth, a German assembly technology company to be co-sponsor.

Manuel Saiz anuncia que está dispuesto a regresar al ciclismo cuando concluya la "Operación Puerto"

Original story in Spanish.

En las dos últimas semanas Manuel Saiz, ex director del equipo Once procesado en la Operación Puerto, ha aparecido en varios medios de comunicación después de cuatro años de silencio. Saiz, que ahora regenta una cervecería a la espera de que se resuelva judicialmente el caso que comenzó el 23 de mayo de 2006. Asegura no tener nada que ver con la trama del doctor Fuentes y el hematólogo Merino Batres.

"Esta experiencia me ha hecho más inseguro, he perdido mucha confianza en mí mismo", dijo el lunes por la noche en El Larguero. "Esto no me ha despertado ningún tipo de rencor, porque no sé tener rencor".

El director del equipo ONCE cree que el fenómeno del dopaje se da tanto en el ciclismo, como en otros muchos deportes. "El dopaje en el ciclismo existe y no podemos decir otra cosa. Pero no tan generalizado como se cree la gente, esa idea no es veraz", explicaba el técnico cántabro. "Estoy convencido de que la ONCE era el equipo más limpio del mundo".

El ex director de la ONCE aseguró no saber qué es la EPO "porque no es médico". En el transcurso de la entrevista del Larguero, Manolo Saiz dice que las declaraciones de Manzano no son apropiadas y cree en la inocencia de Alejandro Valverde "como en la de todo el mundo", y aseguró que ya no tiene relación con Eufemiano Fuentes.

La idea de volver

Desde que explotó la Operación Puerto saiz permanece alejado del ciclismo, pero piensa en volver. "Hasta hace poco no tenía intención de volver al ciclismo, ahora me lo he empezado a plantear", explicó Saiz, que reconoció haber sido votante solcialista y que ahora vive de lo que ha ahorrado y de una cervecería que ha montado. "A mí el resto del ciclismo me ha defendido, cuando yo sí que le he hecho con ellos".

Translated copy of original story.

El argentino Fernando Devecci se incorpora como director de Andalucía Cajasur

El argentino Fernando Devecchi se ha convertido en nuevo director del Andalucía-CajaSur de ciclismo después de la marcha, por motivos personales, del almeriense Juan Martínez Oliver, que cumplió esta función durante las últimas cinco temporadas.

Devecchi accede a este cargo después de una labor en el conjunto sub 23 y élite, donde varios de sus corredores han accedido al primer equipo, como Pablo Lechuga, José Antonio Carrasco y el también argentino Jorge Montenegro, que la pasada campaña logró el título de campeón de la Copa de España.

Compaginará la función de director con Antonio Cabello, que también es el director general de Andalucía-CajaSur y responsable de los fichajes y de confeccionar el presupuesto.

Operación Grial - Suspects

Besides Walter Virú, some of the names of the accused in Operación Grial can be found here - if you don't know them already. Full article in Spanish from as.com is below. Are we surprised? No, of course not.

"La Guardia Civil requisó EPO y otras sustancias dopantes en el domicilio de Guadix (Granada) del marchador Paquillo Fernández, subcampeón olímpico en 2004, en uno de los quince registros que se efectuaron el martes durante la operación antidopaje bautizada como Grial, según desvelaron fuentes de la investigación. Pese a ello, Paquillo no fue detenido ni está imputado. El atleta rechazó ayer valorar estas nuevas revelaciones "hasta el pleno esclarecimiento de los hechos". El día anterior negó que los medicamentos fueran dopantes.

La lista de detenidos se va aclarando, pese a que la operación continúa abierta. Son once: nueve en Valencia, y uno en Murcia y en Barcelona.

En Valencia fueron detenidos el cabecilla de la trama, el médico Walter Virú, junto a su mujer y dos hijos, uno de ellos farmacéutico. También el entrenador Vicente Natividad y el ciclista aficionado José Ortega, que compite en categoría Master-30 y frecuenta clásicas cicloturistas con el Club Pub Tribus, de El Puig. Además, hay tres distribuidores.

Cristina Navarro, ciclista del Lointek, y Pedro José Vera, del Contentpolis, fueron detenidos en Barcelona y Murcia. Vera es el único deportista profesional arrestado. Ayer se le tomó declaración durante dos horas en San Javier y fue puesto en libertad hasta nuevo aviso.

Los detenidos comenzaron ayer a prestar declaración y terminarán hoy. El Juzgado de Instrucción número 14 de Valencia dirige la operación."

Jesus Manzano: "Then one day all of the sudden it stops and you become dramatically depressed."

Excerpt from l'Equipe interview with Jesus Manzano, June 5th, 2007:

"You mentioned Jose Maria Jiminez, el Chava, who died in 2003 from a heartattack. Was it the drugs that killed him?"
-Of course, like it killed Pantani. The drugs lead you to other addictions. The anti-depressants almost automatically accompany other doping treatments. I took up to 8 pills of prozac a day when I was racing.

"Why"
-Prozac cuts the appetite, keeps you in another world, a world where you're not afraid of what you're doing. You're no longer afraid to inject yourself with all the crap. It takes you to a world where you don't ask any more questions especially you don't ask your doctor questions either or your sporting director. Then there are periods where you must stop doping you feel like superman. Then one day all of the sudden it stops and you become dramatically depressed. Look at Pantani, Vandenbroucke and all the others we don't even talk about. They are numerous other cyclists and former cyclists that are addicted to cocaine, heroin and other medications. It's not just in the world of cycling..."

Full translated article at NY Velocity. 

Quote of the Week: Doping in Sunny Spain

"With the scare from the Tour I had enough. Fortunately I am not ambitious and didn't take any of the stuff you sent to me - you were on the verge of sending me to unemployment and ruining my career... I won't pay a single euro anymore."

And I thought the Kelme guys were just kidding.

Full story here.

I Didn't Know Who Fuentes Was Back Then - Kelme

1997 Vuelta Ciclista a Navarra

Spain, June 3-8, 1997

Stage 1, Barain-Estella, 145 kms:

1. LOCATELLI, Marthal (Fra) Selec. Francesa 3.25:53
2. BABAITSEV, Artoor (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 3.25:53
3. LAURANCE, Franck (Fra) Selec. Francesa 3.26:28
4. MIKHAILOV, Guennadi (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 3.26:28
5. ZANDARIN, Flavio (Ita) Selec. Italiana 3.26:28
6. DIAZ LOBATO, Pedro (Spa) Plastimer-Hacera 3.26:28
7. PALACIN, Javier (Spa) Kaiku 3.26:28
8. VAN DIJK, Stefan (Ned) Rabobank 3.26:28
9. BENITO, Alberto (Spa) Banesto 3.26:28
10. ARRIETA, Angel (Spa) Telcom Fina 3.26:28

Stage 2, Estella-Alto De Gorramdeni, 152 kms:

1. ARREITUNANDIA, Peio (Spa) Kaiku 4.07:47
2. MANCEBO, Francisco (Spa) Banesto 4.07:55
3. FIGUERAS, Guiliano (Ita) Selec. Italiana 4.07:55
4. SASTRE, Carlos (Spa) Banesto 4.07:55
5. CASTRESANA, Angel (Spa) Kaiku 4.08:00
6. OUDRIAVTSEV, Nikolai (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 4.08:14
7. SOURKOV, Iouri (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 4.08:27
8. LASTRAS, Pablo (Spa) Banesto 4.08:41
9. GUERRICAGOITIA, Gorka (Spa) Olarra-Ercocera 4.08:44
10. UREA, Jose (Spa) Avila Rojas 4.08:44

Stage 3, Elizondo-Tafalla, 152 kms:

1. TRASTOUR, Olivier (Fra) Selec. Francesa 4.08:59
2. BARBIER, Gregory (Fra) Selec. Francesa 4.09:00
3. JARQUE, Jose Francisco (Spa) Porcelanatto 4.09:00
4. GUERRICAGOITIA, Gorka (Spa) Olarra-Ercocera 4.09:00
5. ASMAKER, Olivier (Fra) Selec. Francesa 4.09:00
6. NAVARRO, Juan Vte. (Spa) Avila Rojas 4.09:00
7. ACCIAVATTI, Robert St. (USA) Kaiku 4.09:00
8. FERNANDEZ, Ruben (Spa) Sky Blue-A.C.R. 4.09:00
9. JIMENEZ, Eladio (Spa) Banesto 4.09:00
10. UREA, Jose (Spa) Avila Rojas 4.09:00

Stage 4, Tafalla-Tudela, 156 kms:

1. BIANCHINI, Cristian (Ita) Selec. Italiana 3.52:19
2. GRICHTCHENKO, Serguei (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 3.52:19
3. LAURANCE, Frank (Fra) Selec. Francesa 3.52:19
4. JARQUE, Jose Francisco (Spa) Porcelanatto 3.52:19
5. PALACIN, Javier (Spa) Kaiku 3.52:19
6. MANCEBO, Francisco (Spa) Banesto 3.52:19
7. ISASI, Josu (Spa) Pinturas Banaka 3.52:19
8. ARRIETA, Angel (Spa) Telcom Fina 3.52:19
9. GUERRICAGOITIA, Gorka (Spa) Olarra-Ercocera 3.52:19
10. LOPEZ, Miguel (Spa) Avila Rojas 3.52:19

Stage 5, Tudela-Ablitas, 77 kms:

1. LOCATELLI, Marthal (Fra) Selec. Francesa 1.42:25
2. GUTIERREZ, Jose E. (Spa) Porcelanatto 1.42:27
3. STAM, Danny (Ned) Rabobank 1.42:44
4. MUNOZ, Diego J. (Spa) Plastimer-Hacera 1.42:44
5. DEL OLMO, Jose M. (Spa) Olarra-Ercocera 1.42:44
6. ACCIAVATTI, Robert St. (USA) Kaiku 1.42:44
7. SOURKOV, Iouri (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 1.42:44
8. VAN HEST, Bas (Ned) Rabobank 1.43:20
9. ISASI, Josu (Spa) Pinturas Banaka 1.43:25
10. LOPEZ, Miguel (Spa) Avila Rojas 1.43:25

Stage 6, Corella-Corella, ITT, 23.5 kms:

1. MANCEBO, Francisco (Spa) Banesto 29:41
2. TAULER, Antonio (Spa) Avila Rojas 30:00
3. SEMPRINI, Maurizio (Ita) Selec. Italiana 30:07
4. GONO, Marcel (Australia) ZVVZ-GIANT-AIS 30:18
5. LOCATELLI, Marthal (Fra) Selec. Francesa 30:26
6. BABAITSEV, Artoor (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 30:32
7. JARQUE, Jose Francisco (Spa) Porcelanatto 30:35
8. GONZALEZ, Aitor (Spa) Caja Rural 30:42
9. ASMAKER, Olivier (Fra) Selec. Francesa 30:44
10. ACCIAVATTI, Robert St. (USA) Kaiku 30:45

Stage 7, Villava-Pamplona, 109 kms:

1. BARBIER, Gregory (Fra) Selec. Francesa 2:41:09
2. PALACIN, Javier (Spa) Kaiku 2:41:10
3. MENEGHETTI, Carlo (Fra) Selec. Francesa 2:41:11
4. STAM, Danny (Ned) Rabobank 2:41:11
5. ARRIETA, Angel (Spa) Telcom Fina 2:41:11
6. FIGUERAS, Guiliano (Ita) Selec. Italiana 2:41:11
7. SANCHEZ, Jose Luis (Spa) Porcelanatto 2:41:11
8. MIKHAILOV, Guennadi (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 2:41:11
9. ISASI, Josu (Spa) Pinturas Banaka 2:41:11
10. FERNANDEZ, Ruben (Spa) Sky Blue-A.C.R. 2:41:11

Final GC

1. BABAITSEV, Artoor (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 20:31:58
2. JARQUE, Jose Francisco (Spa) Porcelanatto 1:01
3. SASTRE, Carlos (Spa) Banesto 1:05
4. CASTRESANA, Angel (Spa) Kaiku 1:09
5. GUERRICAGOITIA, Gorka (Spa) Olarra-Ercocera 1:57
6. SOURKOV, Iouri (Rus) Lada-CSK-Samara 2:08
7. JIMENEZ, Eladio (Spa) Banesto 2:34
8. ORIOL, Christophe (Fra) Selec. Francesa 2:38
9. FIGUERAS, Guiliano (Ita) Selec. Italiana 3.06
10. FERNANDEZ, Victoriano (Spa) Plastimer-Hacera 3.20
11. DIAZ DE CERIO, Ruben (Spa) Sky Blue-A.C.R. 3.25
12. REQUEJO, Elijio (Spa) Avila Rojas 3.31
13. MANCEBO, Francisco (Spa) Banesto 4:05
14. NIETO, Javier (Spa) Sky Blue-A.C.R. 5:24
15. TRASTOUR, Olivier (Fra) Selec. Francesa 5:32
16. TAULER, Antonio (Spa) Avila Rojas 5:58
17. ARREITUNANDIA, Peio (Spa) Kaiku 6:07
18. ACCIAVATTI, Robert St. (USA) Kaiku 6:52
19. DEL OLMO, Jose M. (Spa) Olarra-Ercocera 7:22
20. MENEEGHETTI, Carlo (Fra) Selec. Francesa 8:20