Kelme (cycling team)

Kelme was a professional cycling team based in Spain.

History
In 1979, Kelme sponsored the mountains classification in the Vuelta a España. The owners of Kelme were not satisfied with the publicity that this produced, so they decided to sponsor a cycling team instead.

The Kelme team was formed from another Spanish cycling team, Transmallorca, in 1980. From the 2004 cycling season, the Valencian government took the main sponsorship, Kelme becoming co-sponsor, finally dropping from the team at the end of the year. Despite this, the team kept on running, but its days were numbered when on 20 August 2006, because of doping allegations on Operación Puerto, the Valencian government dropped its sponsorship. This was to become the last year for the oldest team in the peloton. The last couple of years, it was managed by Vicente Belda, a former cyclist who rode for the team from 1980 to 1988. Famous former riders included Alejandro Valverde, Roberto Heras, Aitor González, Óscar Sevilla, Ángel Casero, and Fernando Escartín. The team's major results include two wins in the Vuelta a España: by Roberto Heras in 2000 and Aitor González in 2002.

Doping controversy
In March 2004, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper AS, the former Kelme cyclist Jesús Manzano exposed the systematic doping in the team. During the interview he detailed blood doping as well as the various performance-enhancing drugs he used while on the team. Immediately the Kelme team denied the allegations, and Jean-Marie Leblanc, the director of the Tour de France, was also sceptical about the allegations. After more detailed revelations, the Kelme team who had been invited to the 2004 Tour de France had their invitation withdrawn.

The subsequent investigation into Manzano's doping activities and the allegations he made led to the questioning of several members of the Kelme team in April 2004. These included Eufemiano Fuentes, who was at that time the Kelme team doctor; Walter Virú, the previous team doctor; and Alfredo Córdova, who was working for Liberty Seguros but had been involved with Kelme in 2003.

An investigation began into the practises of Fuentes in early 2006 by Central Operating Unit, the anti-drug trafficking arm of the Spanish Guardia Civil. In May 2006, several arrests were made. Manzano's statements had led directly to the development of this investigation. In June 2007 Manzano claimed that Alejandro Valverde doped with testosterone during the 2002 Vuelta a España.

Major wins

 * 1980
 * Circuito de Getxo, Felipe Yáñez de la Torre
 * GP Llodio, Felipe Yáñez de la Torre
 * Stage 6, Vuelta a Cantabria, Francisco Ramon Albelda


 * 1981
 * Stage 11 Vuelta a España, Jesús Suárez
 * Memorial Manuel Galera, Juan Fernández
 * Memoria Santi Andia, Jesús Suárez
 * 2 stages Vuelta a Aragón
 * Stage 2, Vuelta Asturias, Jesús Suárez
 * Stage 5, Vuelta a Cantabria, Jesús Suárez
 * Stage 1, Deutschland Tour, Juan Fernández


 * 1982
 * Stage 7, Vuelta a España, Enrique Martinez
 * Memorial Manuel Galera, Jesús Delgado
 * Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama, Vicente Belda
 * Overall and 1 stage, Vuelta Asturias
 * Overall and prologue, Costa del Azahar
 * Madrid six days
 * Stage 4, Tour of the Basque Country


 * 1983
 * Memorial Manuel Galera, Jesús Delgado
 * Subida al Naranco, Vicente Belda
 * Alqueiras, Francisco Ramon Albelda
 * Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, José Recio
 * Stage 3, Vuelta a La Rioja, Miguel Guerrero


 * 1984
 * Subida a Urkiola, Vicente Belda
 * Subida al Naranco, Vicente Belda
 * Stage 6b, Vuelta Asturias, Miguel Angel Guerrero


 * 1985
 * Overall, Vuelta a Murcia, José Recio
 * Subida al Naranco, José-Alirio Chizabas
 * Circuito de Getxo, Antonio Esparza
 * Bages, Miguel Angel Guerrero
 * Segovia, Miguel Angel Guerrero


 * 1986
 * Subida a Urkiola, Oscar J. Vargas


 * 1987
 * Memorial Manuel Galera, Juan Martinéz


 * 1988
 * Stage 4, Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme, Jaime Vilamajo


 * 1989
 * Stage 3, Vuelta a Murcia, Juan Martinéz


 * 1990
 * Mountains classification, 1990 Vuelta a España


 * 1991
 * Stage 2, Vuelta a los valles Mineros


 * 1992
 * Memorial Manuel Galera, Francisco Cabello
 * GP Llodio, Ángel Edo
 * Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama, Oswaldo Mora
 * Road Race championship
 * Stage 6, Criterium du Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré


 * 1993
 * Road Race championship
 * Trofeo Mallorca, Asiat Saitov


 * 1994
 * Overall, Challenge Mallorca, Francisco Cabello
 * Trofeo Masferrer, Ángel Edo
 * Trofeo Soller, Ángel Edo
 * GP Llodio, Asiat Saitov
 * Stage 1, Vuelta a Andalucía Vuelta a Andalucía, Ángel Edo
 * Stage 4, Route du Sud, Asiat Saitov


 * 1995
 * Memorial Manuel Galera, Ignacio Garcia Camacho
 * Overall and 3 stages, Vuelta a Colombia
 * Stage 3, Vuelta an Andalucía, Ruta del Sol, Francisco Cabello


 * 1996
 * Overall, Challenge Mallorca, Francisco Cabello
 * Trofeo Soller, Francisco Cabello
 * Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama, Fernando Escartín
 * Stage 13, Vuelta a Colombia, Julio Cabrera
 * Stage 3, Vuelta a Castilla y León, Mariano Moreda
 * Stage 2, Vuelta Asturias, Mariano Moreda


 * 1997
 * Stage 12, Vuelta a España, Roberto Heras
 * Overall and 1 stage, Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme
 * Overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, Juan Carlos Domínguez
 * Overall and 2 stages, Vuelta a Murcia
 * Overall and 1 stage, Volta a Catalunya
 * Subida al Naranco, Roberto Heras
 * Stage 2, Vuelta Asturias, Fernando Escartín


 * 1998
 * Klasika Primavera, Roberto Heras
 * Subida al Naranco, José-Luis Rubiera
 * Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama, Marcos Serrano
 * Stage 8, Volta a Catalunya, Fernando Escartín
 * Stage 1, Vuelta a Aragón, Fernando Escartín


 * 1999
 * Overall and 1 stage, Vuelta an Andalucía, Ruta del Sol
 * Klasika Primavera, Roberto Heras
 * Trofeo Calvià, Francisco Cabello
 * Castillon-la-Bataille, Fernando Escartín
 * Stage 5, Paris–Nice, Santiago Botero
 * Stage 4, Tour de Romandie, Óscar Sevilla
 * 2 stages Euskal Bizikleta
 * 2 stages, Vuelta a Murcia
 * 2 stages, Vuelta Asturias
 * Stage 4, Vuelta a Aragón, Eduardo Hernandez
 * Stage 6, Volta a Catalunya, Roberto Heras


 * 2000
 * Overall and 2 stages, 2000 Vuelta a España
 * 2 stages and Mountains Classification 2000 Tour de France
 * Stage 13, Giro d'Italia, José-Luis Rubiera
 * Overall, Challenge Mallorca, Francisco Cabello
 * Trofeo Antratx, Francisco Cabello
 * Clásica de Almería, Isaac Gálvez
 * Six Jours de Grenoble, Isaac Gálvez
 * Critérium Foral de Navarra, Roberto Heras
 * Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, Javier Otxoa
 * Subida al Naranco, José-Luis Rubiera
 * Memorial Manuel Galera, Óscar Sevilla
 * Trofeo Luis Ocaña, Óscar Sevilla
 * Stage 2, Vuelta a Murcia, Francisco Cabello
 * Stage 3, Tour du Limousin, Aitor González
 * Stage 4, Tour du Limousin, Félix Cárdenas
 * Stage 2, Volta ao Algarve, Aitor González
 * 2 stages, Vuelta a la Communidad Valenciana


 * 2001
 * 1 stage and Young rider classification Tour de France
 * Overall and 2 stages Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia
 * Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama, Santiago Botero Echeverry
 * Clásica de Sabiñánigo, Angel Vicioso Arcos
 * GP Miguel Induráin, Angel Vicioso Arcos
 * GP Llodio, Juan José de los Ángeles Segui
 * 2 stages Tour de l'Avenir
 * Stage 2 GP Mosqueteiros – Rota do Marquês, Marina Grande, Isaac Gálvez Lopez
 * Stage 2 Volta ao Alentejo, Grandola, Isaac Gálvez Lopez
 * Stage 4 Volta ao Alentejo, Alandroal, Angel Vicioso Arcos
 * Stage 1b Vuelta a Castilla y León, El Espinar, Javier Pascual Llorente
 * Stage 5 Vuelta a Castilla y León, Alto del Redondal, Javier Pascual Llorente
 * Stage 1 Volta a Portugal, Odivelas, Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez
 * Stage 6 Circuito Montañés, Torrelavega, Eligio Requeio Dominguez


 * 2002
 * 2 stages 2002 Tour de France, Santiago Botero
 * 2 stages Giro d'Italia
 * 1st overall 2002 Vuelta a España, Aitor González Jimenez
 * World Time Trial championships, Botero
 * 1st overall Challenge Mallorca, Francisco Cabello
 * Trofeo Mallorca, Isaac Gálvez Lopez
 * Valencia, Óscar Sevilla Ribera
 * GP Miguel Induráin, Angel Vicioso Arcos
 * Klasika Primavera, Angel Vicioso Arcos
 * Stage 3 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Pierrelatte, Santiago Botero Echeverry
 * Stage 7 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Genève, José Enrique Gutiérrez Cataluña
 * Trofeo de Palma, Palma, Isaac Gálvez Lopez
 * Classique des Alpes, Santiago Botero Echeverry
 * Profronde van Pijnacker, Santiago Botero Echeverry
 * Profronde van Surhuisterveen, Santiago Botero Echeverry
 * Stage 7 Volta a Portugal, Alcobaça, David Muñoz Bañón
 * Stage 8 Volta a Portugal, Castelo Branco, Alexis Rodriguez Hernandez


 * 2003
 * 1st 2 stages, Combination classification 2003 Vuelta a España
 * 1st overall Challenge Mallorca, Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
 * Trofeo Mallorca, Palma, Isaac Gálvez Lopez
 * 1st overall and 2 stages Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia, Javier Pascual Llorente
 * Criterium Valencia, Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
 * Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia, Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
 * Circuito de Getxo, Roberto Lozano Montero
 * Trofeo Alcudia, Porto Cristo, Isaac Gálvez Lopez
 * Stage 4a Troféu Joaquim Agostinho, Ribemar, Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
 * Stage 5a Troféu Joaquim Agostinho, Ribemar, Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
 * Stage 3 Vuelta an Andalucía, Ruta del Sol, Altro Ntra. Sra.de Araceli, Lucena, Javier Pascual Llorente
 * Stage 4 Volta a Catalunya, Llívia, Jesus Maria Manzano Ruano
 * Stage 3 Vuelta Ciclista an Aragón, Illueca, Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
 * Stage 3 Tour of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Alejandro Valverde Belmonte


 * 2004
 * 4 stages 2004 Vuelta a España
 * 1st overall and 2 stages, Vuelta Ciclista a la Communidad Valenciana
 * 1st overall Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia
 * 1st overall and 3 stages Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos
 * 1st overall and 2 stages GP Estremadura – RTP
 * Trofeo Manacor
 * Klasika Primavera
 * 2 stages Tour of the Basque Country
 * 3 stages Vuelta a Castilla y León
 * Stage 5 Troféu Joaquim Agostinho
 * Stage 4a Vuelta de la Paz
 * Stage 4 Clásica de Fusagasugá, Circuit Fusagasuga, Iván Ramiro Parra Pinto
 * 2 stages Volta a Portugal


 * 2005
 * 3 stages 2005 Vuelta a España
 * 1st overall and 1 stage Vuelta a Andalucía
 * 1st overall Vuelta a Asturias
 * Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia
 * 1st overall and 2 stages Vuelta a Castilla y León
 * 1st overall and 1 stage Vuelta Ciclista a la Rioja
 * 1st overall and 1 stage Euskal Bizikleta
 * Mountains classification Tour of the Basque Country
 * GP Miguel Induráin
 * 1st overall and 1 stage GP Internacional Costa Azul
 * 1st overall and 1 stage Vuelta a Aragón
 * Stage 8 Volta a Portugal
 * Stage 2 Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia


 * 2006
 * 1st overall Challenge Mallorca
 * 1st overall and 2 stages, Volta a Portugal
 * Clásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama
 * 2 stages Troféu Joaquim Agostinho
 * Stage 2 Vuelta a Andalucía
 * Stage 3 Giro del Trentino
 * Stage 5 Vuelta a Asturias
 * Trofeo Pollença