Kelme (cycling team)

 

In 1979, Kelme sponsored the mountains classification in the Vuelta a España. The owners of Kelme were not satisfied with the publicity that this produced, so they decided to sponsor a cycling team instead.^[1]

The Kelme team was formed from another Spanish cycling team, Transmallorca, in 1980. From the 2004 cycling season, the Valencian government took the main sponsorship, Kelme becoming co-sponsor, finally dropping from the team at the end of the year. Despite this, the team kept on running, but its days were numbered when on 20 August 2006, because of doping allegations on Operación Puerto, the Valencian government dropped its sponsorship. This was to become the last year for the oldest team in the peloton. The last couple of years, it was managed by Vicente Belda, a former cyclist who rode for the team from 1980 to 1988. Famous former riders included Alejandro Valverde, Roberto Heras, Aitor González, Óscar Sevilla, Ángel Casero, and Fernando Escartín. The team's major results include two wins in the Vuelta a España: by Roberto Heras in 2000 and Aitor González in 2002.

In March 2004, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper AS, the former Kelme cyclist Jesús Manzano exposed the systematic doping in the team. During the interview he detailed blood doping^[2] as well as the various performance-enhancing drugs he used while on the team.^[3] Immediately the Kelme team denied the allegations, and Jean-Marie Leblanc, the director of the Tour de France, was also sceptical about the allegations.^[4] After more detailed revelations, the Kelme team who had been invited to the 2004 Tour de France had their invitation withdrawn.^[5]

The subsequent investigation into Manzano's doping activities and the allegations he made led to the questioning of several members of the Kelme team in April 2004. These included Eufemiano Fuentes, who was at that time the Kelme team doctor; Walter Virú, the previous team doctor; and Alfredo Córdova, who was working for Liberty Seguros but had been involved with Kelme in 2003.^[6]

An investigation began into the practises of Fuentes in early 2006 by Central Operating Unit, the anti-drug trafficking arm of the Spanish Guardia Civil.^[7] In May 2006, several arrests were made. Manzano's statements had led directly to the development of this investigation.^[8] In June 2007 Manzano claimed that Alejandro Valverde doped with testosterone during the 2002 Vuelta a España.^[9]

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kelme cycling team.

• Official Site (in Spanish)
• Cycling Stats