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Luis Leon Sanchez returns to racing at Tour of Belgium

By Cycling News

published 9 May 2013

Blanco Team had suspended Spaniard for alleged links to Dr. Fuentes

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2012 San Sebastian champion Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Tour de Romandie general classification leader Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank)(Image credit: AFP)

Spanish time trial champion Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Luis Leon Sanchez will return to racing for Team Blanco at the Tour of Belgium later this month. The team had removed the rider from racing in February, in light of his apparent links to Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes, and he appealed to the UCI to allow him to ride.

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Sanchez was mentioned in the USADA's Reasoned Decision in the Lance Armstrong case, issued last October, as being in St. Moritz in 2007 at the same time as Dr Michele Ferrari. The then-Team Rabobank said it saw no need to investigate the relationship.

In January, however, Rabobank had left as sponsor and Team Blanco said it would investigate Sanchez's ties to Fuentes, after a Dutch newspaper said that he was the client who used the name of “Huerto”. Shortly thereafter, the team suspended him and he has not raced.

In mid-April, Sanchez appealed to the UCI about the matter, saying that the team was denying him his right to work and asking for arbitration. While that matter is apparently still unresolved, the team has decided to allow him to ride again.

Blanco stated simply on its Twitter, “Newsupdate: Luis Léon Sanchez will race the Baloise Belgium Tour.”