Kelme (cycling team)

Kelme
Team information
UCI code KEL
Registered Spain
Founded 1980 (1980)
Disbanded 2006 (2006)
Discipline Road
Team name history
1980–1981
1982
1983–1984
1985
1986–1989
1990–1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998–2003
2004
2005
2006		 Kelme-Gios
Kelme-Merckx
Kelme
Kelme-Merckx
Kelme
Kelme-Ibexpress
Kelme-Don Cafe
Kelme-Xacobeo
Kelme-Avianca-Gios
Kelme-Sureña
Kelme-Artiach
Kelme-Costa Blanca-Eurosport
Kelme-Costa Blanca
Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme
Comunidad Valenciana-Elche
Comunidad Valenciana

Kelme was a professional cycling team based in Spain.

History

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

The Kelme team was formed from another Spanish cycling team, named Transmallorca in 1980. From 2004 cycling season Valencian government took the main sponsorship, Kelme becoming co-sponsor, finally dropping from the team at the end of the year. Despite this, team kept on running, but its days were numbered when on 20 August 2006, because of doping allegations on Operacion Puerto, 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, former cyclist who was riding for the team from 1980 to 1988. Famous former riders included Alejandro Valverde, Roberto Heras, Aitor González, Oscar Sevilla, Ángel Casero and Fernando Escartín. Team's major results include wins in the Vuelta a España 2 times: in 2000 by Roberto Heras and Aitor González back in 2002.

Doping Controversy

In March 2004 in an exclusive 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After more detailed revelations, the Kelme team who had been invited to the 2004 Tour de France had their invite withdrawn.[5]

The subsequent investigation into his 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 current Kelme team doctor, Walter Virú the team doctor before Fuentes, and Alfredo Córdova who was working for Liberty Seguros but was 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]

Major results

1980
1981
  • Stage 11 Vuelta a España (ESP), Jésus Suarez
  • Memorial Manuel Galera (ESP), Juan Fernandez
  • Memoria Santi Andia(ESP), Jésus Suarez
  • 1st, 2 stages Vuelta a Aragón
  • Stage 2, Vuelta Asturias (ESP), Jésus Suarez
  • Stage 5, Vuelta a Cantabria (ESP), Jésus Suarez
  • Stage 1, Deutschland Tour (GER), Juan Fernandez
1982
1983
1984
  • Subida a Urkiola (ESP), Vicente Belda
  • Subida al Naranco (ESP), Vicente Belda
  • Stage 6 part b, Vuelta Asturias (ESP), Miguel Angel Guerrero
1985
1986
  • Subida a Urkiola (ESP), Oscar J. Vargas
1987
1988
1989
  • Stage 3, Vuelta a Murcia (ESP), Juan Martinéz
1990
1991
  • Stage 2, Vuelta a los valles Mineros
1992
1993
1994
1995
  • Memorial Manuel Galera (ESP), Ignacio Garcia Camacho
  • Overall and 3 stages, Vuelta a Colombia
  • Stage 3, Vuelta an Andalucía (Ruta del Sol) (ESP), Francisco Cabello
1996
  • Overall, Challenge Mallorca (ESP), Francisco Cabello
  • Trofeo Soller (ESP), Francisco Cabello
  • Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama (ESP), Fernando Escartín
  • Stage 13, Vuelta a Colombia (COL), Julio Cabrera
  • Stage 3, Vuelta a Castilla y León (ESP), Mariano Moreda
  • Stage 2, Vuelta Asturias (ESP), Mariano Moreda
1997
  • Stage 12, Vuelta a España (ESP), Roberto Heras
  • Overall and 1 stage, Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
  • Overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (ESP), Juan Carlos Domínguez
  • Overall and 2 stages, Vuelta a Murcia
  • Overall and 1 stage, Volta a Catalunya
  • Subida al Naranco (ESP), Roberto Heras
  • Stage 2, Vuelta Asturias (ESP), Fernando Escartín
1998
1999
  • 3rd overall and 1 stage, Tour de France, Fernando Escartín
  • 3rd overall, Vuelta a España (ESP), Roberto Heras
  • Overall and 1 stage, Vuelta an Andalucía (Ruta del Sol)
  • Klasika Primavera (ESP), Roberto Heras
  • Trofeo Calvia (ESP), Francisco Cabello
  • Castillon-la-Bataille (FRA), Fernando Escartín
  • Stage 5, Paris–Nice (FRA), Santiago Botero
  • Stage 4, Tour de Romandie (SUI), Oscar Sevilla
  • 1st, 2 stages Euskal Bizikleta
  • 1st, 2 stages, Vuelta a Murcia
  • 1st, 2 stages, Vuelta Asturias
  • Stage 4, Vuelta a Aragón (ESP), Eduardo Hernandez
  • Stage 6, Volta a Catalunya (ESP), Roberto Heras
2000
2001
  • 1st, 1 stage and Young rider classification Tour de France
  • 1st, overall and 2 stages Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia
  • Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama (ESP) (Santiago Botero Echeverry)
  • Clasica de Sabiñanigo (Angel Vicioso Arcos)
  • GP Miguel Indurain (Angel Vicioso Arcos)
  • GP Llodio (ESP) (Juan José De Los Angeles Segui)
  • 1st, 2 stages Tour de l'Avenir
  • Stage 2 GP Mosqueteiros - Rota do Marquês (POR), Marina Grande (Isaac Gálvez Lopez)
  • Stage 2 Volta ao Alentejo (POR), Grandola (Isaac Gálvez Lopez)
  • Stage 4 Volta ao Alentejo (POR), Alandroal (Angel Vicioso Arcos)
  • Stage 1 part b Vuelta a Castilla y León (ESP), El Espinar (Javier Pascual Llorente)
  • Stage 5 Vuelta a Castilla y León (ESP), Alto del Redondal (Javier Pascual Llorente)
  • Stage 1 Volta a Portugal (POR), Odivelas (Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez)
  • Stage 6 Circuito Montañés (ESP), Torrelavega (Eligio Requeio Dominguez)
2002
  • 1st, 2 stages and 4th overall 2002 Tour de France (Santiago Botero)
  • 1st, 2 stages Giro d'Italia
  • 1st overall 2002 Vuelta a EspañaAitor Gonzalez Jimenez
  • World Time Trial championships (Botero)
  • 1st overall Challenge Mallorca (ESP) (Francisco Cabello)
  • Trofeo Mallorca (ESP) (Isaac Gálvez Lopez)
  • Valencia (ESP) (Oscar Sevilla Ribera)
  • GP Miguel Indurain (ESP) (Angel Vicioso Arcos)
  • Klasika Primavera (ESP) (Angel Vicioso Arcos)
  • Stage 3 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (FRA), Pierrelatte (Santiago Botero Echeverry)
  • Stage 7 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (FRA), Genève (José Enrique Gutierrez Cataluña)
  • Trofeo de Palma (ESP), Palma (Isaac Gálvez Lopez)
  • Classique des Alpes (FRA) (Santiago Botero Echeverry)
  • Profronde van Pijnacker (NED) (Santiago Botero Echeverry)
  • Profronde van Surhuisterveen (NED) (Santiago Botero Echeverry)
  • Stage 7 Volta a Portugal (POR), Alcobaça (David Muñoz Bañón)
  • Stage 8 Volta a Portugal (POR), Castelo Branco (Alexis Rodriguez Hernandez)
2003
  • 1st 2 stages, Combination classification and 3rd overall 2003 Vuelta a España
  • 1st overall Challenge Mallorca (ESP) (Alejandro Valverde Belmonte)
  • Trofeo Mallorca (ESP), Palma (Isaac Gálvez Lopez)
  • 1st overall and 2 stages Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia (ESP) (Javier Pascual Llorente)
  • Criterium Valencia (ESP) (Alejandro Valverde Belmonte)
  • Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia (ESP) (Alejandro Valverde Belmonte)
  • Circuito de Getxo (ESP) (Roberto Lozano Montero)
  • Trofeo Alcudia (ESP), Porto Cristo (Isaac Gálvez Lopez)
  • Stage 4 part a Troféu Joaquim Agostinho (POR), Ribemar (Alejandro Valverde Belmonte)
  • Stage 5 part a Troféu Joaquim Agostinho (POR), Ribemar (Alejandro Valverde Belmonte)
  • Stage 3 Vuelta an Andalucía (Ruta del Sol) (ESP), Altro Ntra. Sra.de Araceli (Lucena) (Javier Pascual Llorente)
  • Stage 4 Volta a Catalunya (ESP), Llívia (Jesus Maria Manzano Ruano)
  • Stage 3 Vuelta Ciclista an Aragón (ESP), Illueca (Alejandro Valverde Belmonte)
  • Stage 3 Tour of the Basque Country (ESP), Vitoria (Alejandro Valverde Belmonte)
2004
2005
2006

References

  1. ↑ Haan, Rob de (3 March 2010). "Aanvalluh!!!!". www.nusport.nl (in Dutch). Sanoma Uitgevers. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  2. ↑ Fotheringham, William (2004-09-22). "It can kill, but blood doping is in vogue again". London: Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  3. ↑ "More revelations from Manzano". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  4. ↑ "Manzano affair". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  5. ↑ "No Tour invitation for Kelme". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  6. ↑ "Manzano investigation widens". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  7. ↑ "Everyone clean". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  8. ↑ "Manzano's statements pivotal to latest scandal". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  9. ↑ "Manzano slams Valverde and Aldag". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
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