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" Saíz Balbás was born on October 16, 1959, in Torrelavega, Cantabria, Spain. He is well-known as a former team manager in professional road bicycle racing. He led some of Spain's most successful cycling teams. These teams included Team ONCE, Liberty Seguros-Würth, Astana-Würth, and later Astana Team.
Contents
Manolo Saíz: A Cycling Team Leader
Manolo Saíz was a very involved manager and a "directeur sportif." This means he was the main person in charge of a cycling team during races. He worked closely with his riders to improve their training. He also hired special staff to help with coaching and race strategies.
Building a Champion Team
Even though Manolo Saíz never raced bikes professionally himself, he helped the ONCE team become very strong. He guided them to be one of the biggest teams in cycling.
Key Riders and Victories
Some of the famous riders he managed included Frenchman Laurent Jalabert and Swiss Alex Zülle. Both of these riders performed very well in the Vuelta a España, a major cycling race in Spain. They won the overall race and other important awards. In 1995, Laurent Jalabert achieved a "trifecta" in the Vuelta a España. This means he won the overall race, the points competition, and the "King of the Mountains" title all in one year.
Later, Saíz also managed other talented riders. These included Spaniard Abraham Olano, Igor González de Galdeano, and Joseba Beloki. His ONCE team was especially good at team time trials in the Tour de France. Team time trials are races where the whole team rides together against the clock.
New Sponsors for the Team
At the end of 2003, ONCE decided to stop sponsoring the cycling team. They felt that everyone in Spain already knew about ONCE, so they didn't need to advertise anymore. Manolo Saíz then found new sponsors for the team. He brought in Liberty Seguros, which is the Spanish part of a US company called Liberty Mutual. He also partnered with Würth, a German company that makes assembly tools. Together, they became the new co-sponsors of the team.
See also
In Spanish: Manolo Saiz para niños
