Tour de France officials and representatives from Astaná-Würth are both taking their cases to the Court of Arbitration in Sport following Monday’s request by Tour organizer ASO to kick the scandal-stained Astaná-Würth out of Saturday’s start of the 2006 Tour.

Tour officials sent faxes to Astaná-Würth as well as to the UCI and representatives of the professional teams association Monday after indicating the the Spanish team – formerly Liberty Seguros-Würth – was no longer welcome for the 93rd Tour, set to start Saturday with a prologue in Strasbourg.

The decision was precipitated by a string of damning stories printed in Sunday’s and Monday’s editions of El País, Spain´s leading national newspaper. The paper has had unprecedented access to secret court and police documents and said it has cracked many of the names on a coded list obtained by police in a series of raids in May.

Spanish courts still haven’t released any documents or have filed any indictments, but the unofficial leaks and reports working their way into the Spanish media are having a devastating effect.

Earlier this month, Comunidad Valenciana saw its Tour invitation revoked after Ignacio Labarta, one of the team’s assistant sports directors, was among five people detained as part of “Operación Puerto.”

El País reported that as many as 15 Astaná-Würth riders were on coded lists of racers allegedly treated by Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, also detained May 23 as part of the largest doping investigation in Spanish sports. Former team manager Manolo Sáiz was also detained by Spanish authorities.

El País also reported that seven of nine starting riders from last year’s Tour were on Fuentes’ alleged medical rolls.

Despite the unofficial nature of the reports, it was enough to prompt Tour officials to act. Stung by a string doping controversies dating back to the 1998 Festina Affaire, Tour officials are keen to pre-empt any hint of scandal ahead of cycling’s marquee race.

The decision, however, undercuts the integrity of cycling’s 20-team ProTour league, which guarantees start positions for all member squads in the Tour, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España as well as other major events.

Just last week, the UCI approved an extension of the ProTour license for the team following a change in title sponsor, Astaná. Cycling’s governing body said it made its decision based only on financial criteria, not on allegations making headlines across Europe.

Team officials confirmed Tuesday it is challenging the decision to CAS, an action that ASO is also ready to challenge to CAS if the team tries to show up Saturday in Strasbourg.

McQuaid: ‘Frustrated’
UCI president Pat McQuaid said he’s “frustrated” by the unfolding headlines in Spain, but said he won’t act until there is some sort of official action from Spanish authorities.

Speaking to the French daily L’Equipe just hours ahead of Monday’s decision by the Tour de France to tell Astaná-Würth that it’s no longer welcome at the race, McQuaid said there’s still not official proof of any wrong-doing despite allegations of an extensive blood doping ring in Spain.

“Our hands are tied because we have to respect our own rules, same as the organizers of the Tour de France," UCI president Pat McQuaid told L’Equipe on Monday. “It's frustrating because this affair is terrible, but for the time being, we have no proof that would enable us to sanction teams or riders. I called the minister back last week to tell him that time was pressing and that the Tour was upon us. And I sent him a new letter on Monday morning in the wake of the weekend's fresh revelations.”

McQuaid also said the UCI contacted Spanish officials back in March about inconsistent blood samples taken from Spanish riders.

Vuelta: ‘We’d do the same thing’
Vuelta a España director Victor Cordero said the Spanish race supports decisions made by Tour de France officials to kick out Astaná-Würth.

“We would have done the same thing,” Cordero told the Spanish wires. “With the facts that have come out of the court documents, the decision by the Tour was inevitable.”

Cordero said the Spanish race still has time to wait to see how the doping scandal unfolds before making a decision about whether to eliminate any teams from the Vuelta, set to begin Aug. 26 in Málaga.

No Tour for Dekker
Dutch rider Thomas Dekker has been forced to withdraw from Saturday's start of the Tour de France because of concerns about his fitness, Dutch news agency ANP reported Monday.

The 21-year-old winner of Italy's Tirreno-Adriatico stage race in March was due to make his Tour debut in the Rabobank squad led by Russian Denis Menchov but failed to make a mark in last Sunday's Dutch road championship.

“In concertation with his trainer, he has decided that he will not take part (in the Tour). There are doubts about his fitness," ANP quoted a team spokesman saying.

Dekker will be replaced by fellow Dutchman Bram de Groot, who will be competing in his fifth Grande Boucle on July 1 to 23.
-Agence France Presse

Simoni re-ups with Saunier Duval
Italy's Gilberto Simoni, who finished third inthis year's Tour of Italy, has extended his contract at Saunier Duval till 2007, the Spanish cycling team said on Monday.

The 2001 and 2003 Tour of Italy champion will be taking part in the Tour de France from Saturday with the aim of winning a mountain stage.
-Agence France Presse