Alex Zulle of Switzerland yesterday became the first high-profile cyclist to confirm his departure from the Festina team, who were thrown out off this year's Tour de France after revelations of systematic use of a banned drug.
Zulle, who won the 1995 and 1996 Tours of Spain, is serving a seven-month ban from racing after confessing to use of the banned red-blood-cell booster erithropoetin.
When he returns to racing on May 1st next year, he will wear the colours of the Banesto team, who sponsored Miguel Indurain to his five Tour de France wins. The Swiss's move follows a dramatic budget cut at Festina, a direct result of the team's expulsion from the Tour.
Next year the team's £4.2 million budget has been cut by almost half, and the Festina cyclists face reductions in their salaries of between 50 and 60 per cent.
The watch company's executives have explained that they are "redirecting their marketing budget". Part of the money saved will go into a new scientific research centre in France which will look into ways of combatting drug use in sport.
Zulle's new salary is likely to be considerably less than the £1.3 million he received at Festina, the biggest salary paid to any cyclist in the sport's history.
