Manolo Saiz facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Manolo Saíz Balbás |
| Born | 16 October 1959  Spain |
| Team information | |
| Role | Manager |
Manuel "Manolo" Saiz Balbás (born 16 October 1959) is a famous former manager of professional road bicycle racing teams. He was born in Torrelavega, Cantabria, Spain. Manolo Saiz led some of Spain's most successful cycling teams. These teams were known as Team ONCE, then Liberty Seguros-Würth, and later Astana Team.
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Manolo Saiz: A Cycling Leader
Manolo Saiz was a very active and involved team manager. He was also a directeur sportif, which means he guided the riders during races. He worked closely with his cyclists to improve their training. He also hired special staff to help with coaching and race strategies.
Building a Champion Team
Even though Manolo Saiz did not race bikes professionally himself, he helped the ONCE team become one of the biggest in cycling. He was very good at finding and developing talented riders. Under his leadership, the team grew stronger and won many important races.
Famous Riders and Victories
Manolo Saiz managed many top cyclists. Two of his most famous riders were Laurent Jalabert from France and Alex Zülle from Switzerland. Both of them were very successful in the Vuelta a España, a major Spanish bike race. They each won the overall competition and other special awards. In 1995, Laurent Jalabert had an amazing year. He won the overall title, the points competition, and the "King of the Mountains" award in the Vuelta a España.
Later, Manolo Saiz's team included Spanish riders like Abraham Olano, Igor González de Galdeano, and Joseba Beloki. His ONCE team was especially strong in team time trials. These are races where the whole team rides together against the clock. They often did very well in these events at the Tour de France.
New Sponsors, New Name
At the end of 2003, the ONCE company decided to stop sponsoring the team. They felt that everyone in Spain already knew about ONCE. Manolo Saiz then found new sponsors. He brought in Liberty Seguros, which is the Spanish part of a US company, and Würth, a German company. The team then became known as Liberty Seguros-Würth.
