Spanish championships not ridden after rider protest

No more than 500 metres were ridden by the Spanish professionals in their national road championships in Móstoles, near Madrid. The majority of the riders decided to stop in protest after El Pais published some confidential information regarding "Operacion Puerto", which implicated 58 cyclists in the biggest doping affair ever to hit Spanish sport. Among those implicated were several riders from the Astaná-Würth team, as well as its former manager Manolo Sáiz, and also the ex-director of the Comunidad Valenciana team, Ignacio Labarta.

"The decision was unanimous, because we are not prepared to undergo this orchestrated harassment," said one cyclist. The riders held a meeting before the race, and voted to stop. They were supported by the president of the Association of Professional Cyclists, José Rodríguez, although the Spanish Federation, which also took part in the meeting, did not support it.

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