Phonak withdraw Gutierrez

"After consultation with the riders involved, Santiago Botero and José Enrique Gutierrez, the team management decided that neither rider will be selected for races until the examinations bring more clarity to the picture," Phonak said in a press release on its website.

Both riders have been named in Spanish media reports as having been photographed visiting their former team doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who is at the centre of the ongoing investigation.

"The Phonak Cycling Team has acted in direct response to the connections made in the Spanish media between certain Phonak Cycling Team riders and Dr Fuentes," read the press release.

"Botero and Gutierrez are neither dismissed nor suspended," added team manager John Lelangue. "In the interests of the team and to ensure calm for all team members for the coming races, we have decided to take this step."

"If further investigations show that the riders have used methods that are not permitted, they will of course be dismissed immediately."

Fuentes, who was released on a six-figure bail last week after being arrested on charges of endangering the public health, was Kelme's team doctor from 2000 to 2003.

Gutierrez rode with Kelme from 1998 to 2003 and Botero from 1996 to 2002.

Gutierrez, Botero, Liberty Seguros rider Angel Vicisio, and T-Mobile's Oscar Sevilla were all filmed entering Fuentes' clinics by hidden cameras, according to Spanish magazine Interviu.

Sevilla will lead T-Mobile at next week's Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré (June 4-11), starting Sunday.

Gutierrez and Sevilla are the two biggest riders to have been named as being under suspicion in a scandal which has already cost the Wurth team its partnership with Liberty Seguros.

Liberty's colours have been removed from the uniform since the insurance company withdrew sponsorship last week, but the team plans to race at the Dauphiné, led by Tour de France hopeful Alexandre Vinokourov.

In a phone conversation with Liberty Seguros-Wurth manager Manolo Saiz, Fuentes was taped as saying he needed to "bring the Buffalo [Gutierrez' nickname] pasta" at last month's Tour of Italy, reported Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

Gutierrez finished a surprise second place in the three-week long stage race behind overall winner Ivan Basso.