Elefantino
07-21-2009, 11:30 AM
Bruyneel, Astana to part ways
By Andrew Hood
Published: Jul. 21, 2009
The Johan Bruyneel era at the Astana team will conclude at the end of this season.
Bruyneel confirmed to Belgian television Sporza that he will stop running the Kazakhstan-backed team at the conclusion of the 2009 season, citing a breakdown over the expected return of Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov.
“Astana is a closed chapter for me,” Bruyneel told Sporza.
Bruyneel said relations with the Kazakh backers of the ProTour team have broken down over the the question of whether Vinokourov will return to Astana following his two-year ban for blood doping during the 2007 Tour de France. His two-year ban ends this month.
Vinokourov held a press conference before the start of the 2009 Tour in Monaco announcing his intention to rejoin the team, which was built following the wreckage of his former Liberty Seguros team in 2006 as part of the Operación Puerto doping scandal in Spain.
That press conference caught Bruyneel by surprise and the Belgian director said he will end his two-year stint as team manager of the troubled team.
Bruyneel’s exit will clear the way for Vinokourov’s return to cycling, but there is no word on who might run the team or what will happen with the team’s ProTour license.
If recent history is any indication, Vinokourov should expect a cool reception from Tour de France officials, who would likely frown on his presence in next year’s Tour. That doesn’t mean Vinokourov couldn’t race in other events.
Bruyneel’s confirmation before the start of Tuesday’s stage caught Astana team captain and race leader Alberto Contador by surprise.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Contador said when asked during a post-stage press conference. “Right now I am focusing on the final five stages of the Tour and when it’s all over, we can talk about what will happen with me and the team.”
Bruyneel’s exit from Astana will only fuel speculation of a new team with sponsors backing seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong.
Spanish media, meanwhile, have already reported that Contador could line up next season with a team sponsored by Spanish bank Santander and Renault, two sponsors currently backing Formula 1 star Fernando Alonso.
By Andrew Hood
Published: Jul. 21, 2009
The Johan Bruyneel era at the Astana team will conclude at the end of this season.
Bruyneel confirmed to Belgian television Sporza that he will stop running the Kazakhstan-backed team at the conclusion of the 2009 season, citing a breakdown over the expected return of Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov.
“Astana is a closed chapter for me,” Bruyneel told Sporza.
Bruyneel said relations with the Kazakh backers of the ProTour team have broken down over the the question of whether Vinokourov will return to Astana following his two-year ban for blood doping during the 2007 Tour de France. His two-year ban ends this month.
Vinokourov held a press conference before the start of the 2009 Tour in Monaco announcing his intention to rejoin the team, which was built following the wreckage of his former Liberty Seguros team in 2006 as part of the Operación Puerto doping scandal in Spain.
That press conference caught Bruyneel by surprise and the Belgian director said he will end his two-year stint as team manager of the troubled team.
Bruyneel’s exit will clear the way for Vinokourov’s return to cycling, but there is no word on who might run the team or what will happen with the team’s ProTour license.
If recent history is any indication, Vinokourov should expect a cool reception from Tour de France officials, who would likely frown on his presence in next year’s Tour. That doesn’t mean Vinokourov couldn’t race in other events.
Bruyneel’s confirmation before the start of Tuesday’s stage caught Astana team captain and race leader Alberto Contador by surprise.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Contador said when asked during a post-stage press conference. “Right now I am focusing on the final five stages of the Tour and when it’s all over, we can talk about what will happen with me and the team.”
Bruyneel’s exit from Astana will only fuel speculation of a new team with sponsors backing seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong.
Spanish media, meanwhile, have already reported that Contador could line up next season with a team sponsored by Spanish bank Santander and Renault, two sponsors currently backing Formula 1 star Fernando Alonso.