Pereiro awarded 2006 Tour de France
Spain’s Oscar Pereiro admitted to mixed feelings after being named as winner of the 2006 Tour de France.
Pereiro will be promoted from his original runners-up finish by Tour organisers after an arbitration panel found the original victor Floyd Landis guilty of doping.
Pereiro, 30, told Radio Marca: “I am very happy after so many months of waiting.”
However, the Spanish rider admitted he felt he had missed out on the experience of winning Le Tour as he had not been presented the yellow jersey on the Champs Elysees, as is the tradition.
“I hope there will be a public act of recognition,” he said. “I could not leave Paris with the yellow jersey.
“I have missed out on some wonderful moments that I could have experienced but we have to be positive and in 10 years it will be wonderful to remember this.”
Pereiro refused to be drawn into any controversy, saying: “I don’t want to make any mistake or say something I might regret.”
Landis had proclaimed his innocence and could still appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the arbitration panel ruled against him.
However, Tour chiefs have confirmed they now consider Pereiro the winner.
