Carlos Garcia Quesada (Unibet.com) (Image credit: Luc Claessen)
Unibet.com announced that the team has parted ways with Spanish rider Carlos Garcia Quesada. Garcia Quesada had taken legal action against the team after he was suspended following his name being included in a list of riders involved in Operación Puerto last July. Garcia Quesada was later cleared, but according to the rider, the team did not continue paying his salary. The team justified the suspension saying that Garcia Quesada had failed to clarify his role in the investigation, and that "this was jeopardising the going Pro Tour Application of Unibet.com".
According to the Unibet.com website, the team offered Garcia Quesada "a generous amicable solution" to end his contract. A decision in the case was due on February 8th, and there is no word yet on if the agreement with Unibet.com will end the litigation. The statement went on to accuse the rider of spreading "false information to various media." and threatening to "hold him liable and responsible... for any further false accusations he and/or his lawyers spread in the media about team Unibet.com."
The winner of last year's Vuelta Andalucía must now scramble to find a team in order to defend his title in the race, which runs from February 18-22. The organiser of the race previously threatened to exclude Unibet.com from the race if they did not bring Garcia Quesada.
