Basso Leaving Disco and More Operacion Puerto Fallout!

As reported on VeloNews.com Ivan Basso has resigned from The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. Basso is citing the renewed interest in Operacion Puerto as the reason for his asking to be released from his contract. Basso had only good things to say about discovery and denied being asked to leave. One has to give him atleast some credit for handling this situation the way he has. The investigators can't make up their mind and have proven to be inconsistent in their prosecution of these cases. Discovery knows that with trying to find a new sponsor it would have been very difficult signing a company with the Basso situation hanging over their head. I am sure that this had some part to play in all of this.

In other news Tyler Hamilton has been suspended by Tinkoff for the giro for supposed links to the now expanded Operacion Puerto investigation. Apparently the Spanish investigators are prepared to release a new larger dossier of information with 6000 pages of evidence with as many as 49 new cyclists linked to the case. That would bring the total to over 100. I do however, find it ironic that of all those riders, Basso and Ulrich are the only ones that are being punished in advance. I am all for stopping the riders from riding, but if you are going to do that, then you need to stop ALL of the riders not just the big guys.