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Bruyneel leaves Radioshack-Nissan-Trek ‘by mutual agreement’

Johan Bruyneel has left his position as team manager of Radioshack-Nissan-Trek by “mutual agreement”, according to a statement released by the WorldTour squad.

Bruyneel was named as one of the chief protagonists in a 1,000-page dossier published by the US Anti-Doping Agency on Wednesday which accused Lance Armstrong of leading the “most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen”.

Bruyneel was directeur sportif for each of Armstrong’s seven Tour de France wins. Armstrong will be stripped of the titles if the UCI accepts the charges levied against the American.

Following the revelations, Radioshack-Nissan-Trek rider Fabian Cancellara questioned whether he would be able to continue to work with Bruyneel, but the team has now parted company with the Belgian as he can “no longer direct the team in an efficient and comfortable way”.

The statement read: “The Reasoned Decision published by the USADA included a number of testimonies as a result of their investigation.

“In light of these testimonies, both parties feel it is necessary to make this decision since Johan Bruyneel can no longer direct the team in an efficient and comfortable way.  His departure is desirable to ensure the serenity and cohesiveness within the team.

“Radioshack-Nissan-Trek wishes to thank Johan Bruyneel for his dedication and devotion since his arrival in the Team.”

Unlike Armstrong, who in August refused to contest the allegations made against him by USADA, Bruyneel has chosen to fight the charges and will face an arbitration hearing next month.

The statement continued: “The USADA investigation does not concern the activities of Mr. Bruyneel while managing the Radioshack-Nissan-Trek team. Johan Bruyneel contests the validity of the procedure as well as the charges against him.”

Cancellara had not worked with Bruyneel before the Swiss rider’s Leopard-Trek team merged with Radioshack ahead of the 2012 season.

Cancellara insists “the sport has changed” but believes the prevalence of doping during Armstrong’s era cost him the early years of a career which has seen the rider nicknamed Spartacus go on to win eight stages of the Tour de France.

“Today riders are once again paying the price for what went wrong six, seven years ago,” said Cancellara. “That’s not fair. Lance has ensured that the early years of my career are wasted years. I hope that we can finally put this period behind us. It won’t happen immediately, it takes time, but it must happen.”

 

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