Just stepping aside (temporarily or not) from Manolo Sáiz’ team managerial position isn’t going to keep Team Astaná-Würth’s former frontman out of the spotlight.

Jean Pitallier, president of the French Cycling Federation, has said that he wishes Sáiz would drop off the face of the cycling world. “He’s a villain, riffraff,” said a clearly opinionated Pitallier, adding that if it were up to him, he wouldn’t allow the Würth team into this year’s Tour. “I would not invite them anymore,” said Pitallier, “Even if they have Vinokourov. It would give new power to the sport.”

The ASO, the Tour’s organizing body, is expected to have a formal reaction to “Operacion Puerto” - and, one assumes, to the Würth team’s role in the race - in the next couple of weeks.