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Saxo Bank continues to support Riis despite Hamilton's doping claims

By Cycling News

published 1 September 2012

Sponsor has “full confidence” in team chief

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Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank manager Bjarne Riis ahead of stage 1 of the Eneco Tour.(Image credit: Sirotti)

Bjarne Riis has attracted a new sponsor to his squad.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Tyler Hamilton in his CSC colours(Image credit: Sirotti)

Saxo Bank supports Bjarne Riis and Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank, and Tyler Hamilton's tales of Riis helping him with doping will not change that. The bank again expressed its support of and confidence in the Danish team owner.

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In his book, The Secret Race due to be released next week, Hamilton says that Riis introduced him to Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes and helped him to refine his blood transfusion scheduled. Riis has denied knowing Fuentes and refused to comment further.

“We say the same now, as we have said countless times before. We have one hundred percent confidence in Bjarne Riis,” bank spokesman Kasper Elbjørn told sporten.dk. “This does not change anything with respect to our sponsorship of the cycling team.

The bank's sponsoring contract was recently extended through the 2013 season.

The claims made in Hamilton's book will not affect that, the spokesman said. “We cannot take a position on such a loose claim on something that may have happened so long before Saxo Bank came into the picture as a sponsor. Bjarne Riis has our full confidence.”