|
|
09/07/10 03:05:00
Printable Page
09/07 15:01 CDT Schleck, O'Grady sent home from Spanish Vuelta
Schleck, O'Grady sent home from Spanish Vuelta
By DANIEL WOOLLS
Associated Press Writer
MADRID (AP) -- Two-time Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck and Saxo Bank
teammate Stuart O'Grady were sent home from the Spanish Vuelta on Tuesday after
breaking team rules on drinking, overshadowing a successful day for the home
nation.
On a day Imanol Erviti of Spain won the 10th stage and countryman Joaquin
Rodriguez took the overall lead, Team Saxo Bank said Schleck and O'Grady had
been "sent home due to internal disciplinary reasons." Schleck said he and
O'Grady broke a team rule "by going out for a drink after dinner."
Schleck said he is "responsible for my actions," though he contends the
decision by Team Saxo Bank boss Bjarne Riis to remove the pair was "too harsh."
"I was getting back into shape and I would really have liked to stay at the
Vuelta and help (brother) Frank and the rest of Team Saxo Bank," Schleck told
Cyclingnews.com.
Riis was not available for comment.
Relations between Riis and the Schleck brothers have been tense since they said
they would leave to join a new team based in Luxembourg.
Other Team Saxo Bank riders Jakob Fuglsang, Jens Voigt and O'Grady also have
been linked with the new team, which was created by Riis' former longtime press
assistant, Brian Nygaard, and his then-aide Kim Andersen.
In August, three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador signed a deal to
compete next season for Team Saxo Bank-Sungard - its new name beginning in 2011
_ after deciding to leave Astana.
Luxembourg rider Schleck was 77th overall in the Vuelta standings, while
Australian O'Grady was 157th.
In Tuesday's 10th stage, Rodriguez, of Team Katusha, took the overall lead from
Igor Anton Hernandez and is ahead by 2 seconds. Rodriguez picked up a time
bonus on the intermediate sprints.
Erviti, who rides for Caisse d'Epargne, used a late solo breakaway to take the
stage, covering 109 miles in northeast Spain from Tarragona to Vilanova i la
Geltru in 4 hours, 13 minutes, 31 seconds. It was the second Vuelta stage win
of his career.
Two Belgians were next: Romain Zingle and Greg Van Avermaet, both 37 seconds
off the pace.
Wednesday's 11th stage is a 130-mile ride from Vilanova i la Geltru to Andorra.
___
Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to
this report.
|
