RadioShack-Nissan owner Becca questions fairness in Contador case

During the presentation of the RadioShack-Nissan team, founder Flavio Becca attacked Alberto Contador, his Saxo Bank team and that team's owner Bjarne Riis. Two facts had caught Becca's attention, causing him to wonder whether Saxo Bank was trying to influence the fate of its star rider Contador: Saxo Bank had recently held its pre-season training camp in Israel and one of the judges involved in the upcoming Contador doping case decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport is Israeli.

"When I saw that in the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) commission, an Israeli judge will decide the fate of Contador and soon after discovered that Saxo Bank has its own training camp in Israel, I do not think we are on track," said Becca to Le Quotidien.

Saxo Bank held a training camp in Israel - not a regular pre-season training camp destination for WorldTour teams - from November 29 to December 11. While there, team's riders did the usual early team camp activities: getting to know each other, help building a cycling school and spending some time riding locally.

The CAS ruling is expected in a few days, from a commission that includes three members: Quentin Byrne-Sutton of Switzerland, Ulrich Haas of Germany and the Ephraim Barak of Israel. The latter is the president of commission.

"An Israeli judge will issue a ruling on Contador, and Saxo Bank is doing its training camp in Israel, even being officially received by the Government. There are two facts that can not be separated. At this point, I think everything is already decided," said Becca.

Cicloweb.it further noted that on the Saxo Bank squad is also the first Israeli ever to be part of a WorldTour team. Ran Margaliot had previously raced for Footon-Servetto and has been at Saxo Bank since 2011.