Hondo disappointed

Danilo Hondo, who is currently sidelined as he serves a doping suspension, has said he's disappointed in the events of the past week, which has seen both the Astana and Cofidis ProTour teams leave the Tour de France after a rider from each squad tested non-negative.

"I am personally very disappointed by the events at the Tour de France," said Hondo, on his website danilo-hondo.de. "But I am more disappointed by the accompanying decisions, speculations and challenges."

"If, for example, Alexander Vinokourov should be found guilty of doping, then the work and existence of the rest of the riders and the others working for the team should not be destroyed," he said. "Apparently it is our nature to doubt everything and to question everything, or to call people in such a situation a hero, simply because they are willing to make a statement and look so innocently in the camera."

Hondo also announced that a criterium which he was helping to organize, the Night of Ascona, had been cancelled. "The situation of the past days and weeks have negatively influenced our discussions with partners and sponsors," he said. SW