Season over for Botero
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ByEurosport
Published 04/06/2006 at 10:20 GMT
Suspended by his Phonak team because of his ties with alleged blood doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, 2002 world time trial champion Santiago Botero says his season is over. "My season is prematurely over. I have neither illusions nor objectives," the Colo
CYCLING Phonak Santiago Botero 2006
Image credit: Imago
Botero and Jose Enrique Gutierrez - who finished second on the recent Giro d'Italia - were "provisionally withdrawn" on Friday by Phonak as investigators in Spain continue to probe allegations of an illicit blood transfusion ring.
Botero was scheduled to take part in the Dauphiné Libéré which starts on Sunday.
Botero rode with Kelme at the same time that Fuentes' was their team-doctor, as did Gutierrez.
"I don't deny that helped me when I came to that team," Botero told Colombia's El Tiempo newspaper.
"I explained to [Phonak] that Ignacio Labarta did my training program. I have no reason to hide that. I was with [Fuentes] for eight years."
"I arrived at Kelme at the age of 21, like a boy, and the first thing that I discovered was that it was a team of people, of experienced riders and doctors, Fuentes and Ignacio Labarta.
"Since 1995, the did all my programs, prepared the calendar, effort tests, and everything that has to do with the preparation of a sportsman that has nothing to do with giving steroids, anabolics or anything that they found on them."
Botero said he was completely demoralised in racing, though he was not considering retirement.
"If I win, then I'm doped. If I lose, it's the same, then I don't have any way out.
"I have not thought about retirement, for the moment. This leaves me deflated, but what is the point of treating someone like a delinquent? That makes no sense and is not justified."
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