BiciRace.com :: News :: November 2005

News :: November 2005

26 November 2005

Roberto Heras in Trouble for EPO Use

Heras In Stage 20, photo: © Unipublic

After four days of analysis, Roberto Heras (Liberty Seguros-Würth) has been confirmed to taking EPO to achieve his 2005 Vuelta a España victory. Yesterday it was reveled that the counter-analysis of his B-sample of urine contained traces of the blood booster, similar to those found in his A-sample. The samples were taken on the penultimate stage of the Vuelta, Stage 20 (17 September, Guadalajara - Alcalá de Henares TT, 38.9K)

"I have never taken a doping substance, for the Vuelta nor for any other occasion," said Heras (31) yesterday afternoon. "The testing methods should be faultless, without any margin of error ... But it is not so. The controls started Monday and they needed five days ... I am not convinced of these results. Wednesday they were not certain of my positive result, but now, 48 hours later, they are. It is clear that something is not right ... I will appeal these results."

Saiz Feels Heat, photo: © Unipublic

Heras is not the only Liberty member coming under fire, famed Team Manager, Manolo Saiz, is feeling the heat. "I was not expecting this result, it is a very ugly moment in my career," said Saiz. This year two of his other riders had problems with medical checks: Nuno Ribeiro and Isidro Nozal. The Portuguese rider, Ribeiro (28), was stopped before starting the Giro d'Italia with a high hematocrit reading. The same happened for the Spaniard, Nozal (28), before the start of this year's Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.

Cycling leads the world of sport in drug testing, from the now standard hematocrit test, to the newly established test for blood transfusions. Surely cycling gets most all of the spotlight for doping because of the leadership role it takes in testing. Other sports should stand and take notice of the innovations made in controlling drug use in the world of cycling, or maybe they don't want to.

Heras In Final Vuelta Stage, photo: © Unipublic

For Heras this positive confirmation means that he will be stripped of his 2005 Vuelta a España victory. The victory will instead go to Denis Menchov (Rabobank), who finished 4'36" on the Spaniard. According to the ethical code of the UCI ProTour, Liberty Seguros-Würth has terminated the contract of Heras. The Spaniard will almost certainly receive a two-year suspension from the world of professional cycling, which he and his lawyers should appeal.

Read:
Roberto Heras Conquers la Vuelta, 12 September
Isidro Nozal Latest Doping Casualty, 7 June
Ribeiro Dismissed by Liberty Management, 8 May

McEwen Named 2005 Australian Cyclist of the Year

McEwen Blasts in Tour, photo: CyclingTime.com

Yesterday Queensland's Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) was presented with the Sir Hubert "Oppy" Opperman Medal after being named the 2005 Australian Cyclist of the Year. The awards ceremony was a formal function in Sydney that was attended by a slew of Australia's cycling stars. McEwen (33), in front of his peers, was given the honor for he second time in his career, the first came in 2002.

Mc-Jet could not be more deserving of such a prestigious title, in 2005 the Aussie fast-man notched up 23 victories. His big wins were three Tour de France stages, three Giro d'Italia stages and the Aussie Road National Championship. The Giro saw McEwen turn many hearts in his favor (including ours at BiciRace.com) when he repeatedly shut down Alessandro Petacchi and his Fassa Bortolo train.

"This is a huge honor and I have a lot of people to thank," said McEwen at the gala. "Everyone that's been involved since the start of my career, and also my teammates on the Davitamon-Lotto squad." Bravo McEwen!

Read:
To 2008 for Robbie McEwen, 11 October
McEwen Continues Flight, 12 September
Robbie McEwen Gets Revenge with Stage Victory, 7 July
McJet Returns! Robbie McEwen is Back, 15 June
McEwen Makes Two, Fassa Derails, 14 May

Saunier Duval-Prodir Come Together

The yellow squadra, Saunier Duval-Prodir, will enjoy a few days in the Spanish sun. The team will gather from 28 November to 1 December in Santander (Spain), the team headquarters. For four days the management, mechanics and riders will bond and talk about the upcoming 2006 season.

The hot topics will be the next team's training camp, the first races of the year and, of course, Giro d'Italia preparations. Now in the team's ranks is sig. Giro, Gilberto Simoni. The Italian is twice a winner of Italy's largest race and will look to repeat with his new Spanish-Swiss squadra.

Read:
Saunier Duval-Prodir Add Riccò and Trentin, 24 November
Trentin and Millar Close to Saunier Duval-Prodir, 21 November
Saunier Duval-Prodir Team Update for 2006, 18 October
Read: Saunier and David Millar in 2006, 27 September

25 November News ...