Was it merely something lost in translation? A day after saying Oscar Pereiro was looking shaky for the start in London, CN has a different story in the Saturday clips:
Earlier, DS Eusebio Unzue was quoted as saying "His form is not good. After the Dauphiné and after the analysis of the other riders in the Tour de Suisse we will decide whether he will go to the Tour this year."
The difference? Exhibit B came from a Belgian paper, Exhibit A from Le Dauphiné, the title sponsor of the current race. Pereiro finished two minutes back on the Mont Ventoux stage yesterday, as part of his training, so the sunnier version sounds more true to form. Strangely, he offers an apparently unsolicited statement that he has nothing to do with Operacion Puerto, though again maybe this is bad translation.
Meanwhile, Alejandro Valverde dropped out of the Dauphiné with stomach problems. His Tour de France curse may be riding again.