By Antonio J. Salmerón
Francisco Mancebo and Jan Hruska are both close to reaching a contractual agreement with the professional continental team of Relax-GAM. Both riders will meet with the Spanish team during the next days for signing.
Mancebo joined Ag2R Prévoyance at the beginning of 2006 but his season was cut short when he was linked with Operación Puerto. In late October, after a decision by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) to drop the disciplinary files opened, the 30 year-old was free to return to racing and search for a new team.
In May, before the first stage of the Volta a Catalunya, Hruska was declared to be unfit to race. The Czech rider, then with 3 Molinos Resort, was forced to stop racing for two weeks according to UCI rules.
Relax-GAM has already signed other riders such as Santiago Pérez, who tested positive for blood transfusions in the 2004 Vuelta a España, and Julián Sánchez Pimienta, formerly with Comunidad Valenciana. With these riders the team hopes to build its chances of participation in the 2007 Vuelta, after having obtained a 'wild-card' last edition.
The 2007 Relax-GAM team will be presented in January in Huelva (south of Spain).
