Saxo Bank today issued a statement on their website dismissing the rumours that Fabian Cancellara used an electric motor in his bike during the spring classics.
What started as a joke has now turned in to the biggest story in the sport, even overshadowing the sensational Landis allegations of two weeks ago. Rai TV in Italy ran the story during the Giro d'Italia before Belgian station Sporza ran a Youtube video on their website that virtually accused Cancellara of cheating.
Rai TV pundit and former professional rider Davide Cassani demonstrated a bike with a motor in and said the person who loaned it to him claimed that such bikes had been used in the pro peloton.
Sporza went a step further. The video they embedded on their site strongly suggests that inconsistent hand movements by Cancellara, and the speed he rode away from his rivals, pointed towards the Swiss rider having a motor in his bike.
Today the UCI announced it was holding a special meeting of the ProTour council at its headquarteres in Aigle, Switzerland to discuss motors in bikes.
The Saxo Bank statement said:
Team Saxo Bank rejects all insinuations and accusations that have been made in the media regarding Fabian Cancellara's alleged use of an electric motor in his bike.
Team Saxo Bank is strongly opposed to any form of cheating and there is absolutely no truth to this story. There was not and never has been a motor in any Team Saxo Bank rider's bike.
In principle, Team Saxo Bank does not comment on rumors. However, with the irresponsible distribution of this story and related video, a myth has been developed that needs to be addressed. We will not participate in the furthering of this story and find the marketing platform now created for the engine manufacturer completely out of place and unwarranted.
We are confident that the majority of those people who have come across this video see if for exactly what it is, A creative, amateur artist's attempt to express a purely hypothetical idea that has not basis of fact or truth. It is a work of fiction, disguised as documentary.
We regret if this has led anyone to view Team Saxo Bank in a negative way and we are deeply offended by the questioning of Fabian Cancellara's integrity, character and abilities. Fabian possesses incredible ability and talent and is a true professional. Fabian has provided Team Saxo Bank and cycling fans the world over with countless memorable victories and tremendous performances.
Fabian's victories in Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix embody everything that is beautiful about our sport, strength, endurance, suffering, passion, drama and teamwork. Fabian's victories are the result of dedication, hard work and sacrifice as well as his unique ability to rise to the occasion when striving to reach his goals. We are confident that the public can see through the nonsense this myth has presented and respect Fabian for what he is. A true Champion.
There will be no further Team comment on this situation as we feel the insinuations do not warrant further time or energy.
External links
Saxo Bank's website
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