Fuerteventura-Canarias denies negotiations with Heras

By Monika Prell

Contrary to previous reports, team Fuerteventura-Canarias denied any contact with Roberto Heras. Team Manager Jorge Sastre affirmed that he had not even thought of signing the three-time winner of the Vuelta a España who is nearing the end of a two-year doping suspension.

Team Director Óscar Guerrero confirmed that there has been no communication with the 33 year-old Spaniard. "The only thing I can say is that neither [Jorge] Sastre nor I know anything about this subject," he noted to Deia. "Neither of us has talked to Heras during the whole year."

Furthermore, Guerrero questioned the future of his team. "How could we contact Heras with the intention to engage him when we all, assistants, directors, riders... don't know exactly how our future will be?"

The sponsors Fuerteventura and Canarias will confirm if they will continue to sponsor the team despite the non-invitation by Unipublic for the Vuelta a España. The sponsors "are satisfied about our performance during this season, but they still have not said anything to us," said Guerrero.