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Dehaes released by Katusha

published 19 June 2009

Belgian to move to "another" ProTour team

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Kenny De Haes will be riding for a different team come July 1 (Image credit: Sirotti)

Katusha released Belgian Kenny Dehaes from his contract effective July 1. He revealed that he has entered negotiations with another un-named ProTour team.

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"Katusha is a closed chapter. I will go with another team to work," Dehaes told Belga. "A signature is not yet on the contract for my new team."

Dehaes, who is currently racing at the Ster Elektrotoer Tour, is uncertain what his race programme will be beyond July 1. He will race for Katusha at Halle-Ingooigem and the Belgian national championships before leaving the team.

"How my programme will look, to me is a huge question mark. Maybe [I will race the] Vuelta? We'll see," said Dehaes, 24. "I am now satisfied that I can close the chapter with Katusha. We are now entering a new era for me."

Dehaes' release from Katusha follows a report earlier this month that he was one of a number of riders who refused to sign a new anti-doping policy the team introduced to all of the riders' contracts. The new contract requires a rider found guilty of a doping offence to pay a fine of five times their annual salary.

Already this season, two Katusha riders, Christian Pfannberger and Antonio Colom, have tested positive for blood booster EPO. The team suspended Pfannberger in May and Colom in June.