Cyclassics refuse Contador with anti-doping measures
The Vattenfall Cyclassics ProTour race in Hamburg, Germany, is playing the hard line: "Our basic position is that no rider from the Fuentes list will be at the start." According to the race organizers, this includes Discovery Channel's Tour de France winner Alberto Contador (who is not scheduled to ride the race anyway), and they are extending their list to exclude such riders as Michael Rasmussen and Milram's Alessandro Petacchi.
"We are against doping. But we are convinced that the way has to go away from the populist challenges and lead to practical measures," said Michael Hinz, spokesman for race organizer Upsolut, to the German press agency dpa.
Some of the concrete anti-doping measures will be taken at the insistence of German ARD television, which will broadcast the race. The measures include an increased number of doping controls. "Right now we are coordinating with the UCI as to what measures we can plan and what makes sense," Hinz said.
Contador to hold press conference on Friday
Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel)
Photo ©: Sirottihttp://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...18/fs024tn.jpg
Freshly crowned Tour de France winner Alberto Contador is scheduled to issue a public statement Friday along with Discovery Channel Team director Johan Bruyneel at the offices of Spain's Superior Council for Sports according to the International Herald Tribune.
The rider has been tied to Operación Puerto, the Spanish doping investigation. He is expected to make a statement, but not answer questions. No information was provided about the content of the upcoming announcement.
In 2006, Contador rode for Liberty Seguros, which was disqualified from the Tour de France before the race; hence he did not contest that edition. He has maintained his innocence saying he was in the wrong place at the wrong time although his name has allegedly appeared in documents relating to Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes, who was at the center of the Operación Puerto scandal.
Biologist Werner Franke recently turned
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