"Armstrong will be remembered as the best"

MARCA.COM

Manolo Saiz, former director of the ONCE team, spoke to MARCA



While the outcome of the long running 'Operación Puerto' saga is still awaited —a decision is expected at the end of January— and he is able to resume his old way of life following all the turmoil, Manolo Saiz watches on impassively as Lance Armstrong is publically lynched, deservedly in some people's minds and undeservedly for others.
The former director of the great ONCE team has this to say: "My opinion is that after 12 years this shouldn't happen. For example, cases of tax evasion have to be dealt with within five years. Why have they waited for 12 years and not 30? Things have to have an end and, correct me if I'm wrong, but the world anti-doping regulations themselves stipulate an eight year period in which to act. Some things may have been shattered, but these things aside, the figure of Armstrong transcends cycling because of his fight against cancer."
For years Armstrong was a direct rival of ONCE: "True, and I never liked his character or personality. For me he wasn't a nice person. Nonetheless, I always admired him as a sportsman because of the sacrifices he made and how hard he trained. In my opinion, you can't ban anyone based on hearsay and unsubstantiated evidence."
"Although his name will be kept out of the record books, in the mind's eye of true cycling fans Armstrong will be remembered as the best," Saiz concluded.