Tinkoff Suspends Hamilton & Jaksche

No Comments | May 9th, 2007 | Trackback

Not only were Tyler Hamilton and Jorg Jaksche mysteriously removed from the Tinkoff Giro lineup this week, the team has now announced that, “due to the new circumstances and decisions made public in the last few days,” it was also suspending the pair.

The team said the “decision is also aiming at relieving pressure created around the Giro, that will start Saturday, and on the team itself after the statements made by all the other teams” to not allow the start of any riders implicated in Operación Puerto.

Hamilton and Jaksche’s suspension period is indefinite. It will remain in effect until “the competent authorities will have finally sorted out all the implication of the riders in Operación Puerto.” Operación Puerto broke nearly a year ago, yet most implicated riders are still facing an uncertain fate.

Yeah, I think it’s a pretty certain fate - it might be slow, but I really think every rider is going to get caught in this one.

Meanwhile, Vuelta organizers are annoyed at how slowly the case against Spanish riders caught up in Puerto is progressing, especially as compared to other countries. And since other countries are progressing at what could be generously called a brisk walk, Spain must be crawling.