More names released in Operación Puerto
Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile)
Photo ©: AFP
Spanish newspaper El Pais has published more names among the 58 riders involved in Operación Puerto. The list, which comes from the Spanish Civil Guard's official report on the doping probe, contains several big names, and there is a strong possibility that the Tour de France could be raced with a very different list of favourites.
Cyclingnews sources say that Spanish authorities have obtained blood tests from last year's Tour and compared them to the names on this list in order to confirm the matches to the blood found in the blood bags.
El Pais has alleged that Jan Ullrich, Roberto Heras, Oscar Sevilla, Joseba Beloki, Santiago Botero, Santi Pérez, Tyler Hamilton, Quique Gutierrez and Angel Edo are all mentioned in the 500 page report that will be delivered to the Spanish Secretary of State for Sport, Jaime Lissavetsky. In addition, De Telegraaf mentions that Rabobank riders Denis Menchov and Juan-Antonio Flecha are on the list, and other sources have mentioned Ivan Basso and Francisco Mancebo. All the riders questioned by journalists so far have denied any involvement in the affair.