What next for Saiz

ByEurosport

Published 09/06/2006 at 12:34 GMT

Sandwiched between the killer Mont Ventoux stage, a long transit to Sisteron, and the first of the Alpine stages of the Dauphine Libere, Astana-Wurth riders learned of Manolo Saiz's leave of absence. What's different for them? Not much, say Eurosport's an

CYCLING 2006 Criterium du Dauphine Libere Wurth Alexandre Vinokourov T-Mobile Oscar Sevilla

Image credit: Reuters

In the wake of the blood doping probe in Spain in which Saiz was briefly detained by Spanish police last month, the team announced late Thursday that Saiz had stepped aside "to preserve as much as possible the continuity of the team."

The statement promised that Saiz would stay on the sidelines "until full light has been shed on the matters in which he's implicated."

Cycling

Cavendish set to return from illness at Tour of Turkey as Tour de France preparation continues

8 hours ago

"STILL PULLING THE STRINGS"

"Is Manolo Saiz really pulling back from his team?" wonders Eurosport Dutch language commentator Danny Nelissen.

"The question is: will he still be involved in Active Bay, the company that owns Astana-Würth. If Manolo Saiz doesn't sell his Active Bay shares nothing will change and pulling back from the team is only a political decision for the outside world. In the background he will still pull the strings."

THE TOUR WON'T STAND IDLE

English language commentator David Harmon couldn't agree more:

"He's realised that the problem has taken on far bigger proportions than he ever imagined and had no choice, however nothing is going to change inside the team until there's a fundamental understanding of what happened," said Harmon.

Tour de France organisers have made it clear that the ball is in the UCI's court, urging for a swift decision on what sanctions - if any - to take against the outfit of Alexander Vinokourov before the start of the Tour de France.

But French language commentator Patrick Chassé firmly believes that if nothing gives, Vino's squad will be barred from the world's greatest cycling race:

"Especially if a person like Manolo Saiz is associated by near or by far with the team," said Chassé who noted the ire in Tour organiser Jean-Marie Leblanc's tone at a press conference Monday on the Dauphiné (he refused to mention Saiz by name).

The rift between Leblanc and Saiz runs deep, recalls Chassé:

"Leblanc said he was surprised when doping allegations surfaced against Lance Armstrong. On the other hand, he's in no way surprised that Saiz's name is associated to such a shady affair."

MEANWHILE BACK ON THE MOUNTAIN...

Meanwhile, Vinokourov continues to try to focus on the task at hand - i.e. getting himself fit for the Tour.

"I tried not to put myself in the red," the Kazakh told L'Equipe after Thursday's Mont Ventoux stage where he finished 13'10" off the pace.

"I climbed at my own pace without any stress in particular. I'm being left alone and that's fine by me. I can plow ahead with the task at hand."

FORUM: Have your say

Vuelta a Valencia