2-8-07, 8:57 am

HAVANA, February 5 (PL).—The U.S. government has refused to grant visas to U.S. cyclists invited to the 32nd Tour of Cuba, say the organizers of the traditional tour.

José Peláez, head of the Cuban Cycling Federation, confirmed to PL that Washington is blocking the usual presence of its cyclists, who are still demanding their right to race in the upcoming classic.

 “The U.S. Federation told us that it was having difficulties with Treasury Department permits, but is still trying to get them,” said the likewise president of the Pan-American Cycling Federation.

The 32nd Tour of Cuba takes place from February 13-25, and the U.S. Federation wanted to return to the respected competition, won by U.S. Todd Herriot in 2003.

The U.S. authorities are making it difficult for its athletes to participate in Cuban competitions, and vice versa, in virtue of the blockade now in place for 45 years.

The last episode in this anti-Cuban war was in mid-January, when the United States prevented its national Greco-Roman team from training in Havana.

This policy of hostility developed by successive U.S. administrations also affects cultural, scientific, academic and sports exchanges between the Cuban and U.S. people.

In 2005 alone, Washington vetoed the presence of 96 U.S. athletes to commitments organized in Cuba, like this tour which is part of the UCI-America circuit calendar.

To date teams from Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador and Germany – all present in other editions – and debut cycling teams from San Marino, Austria and Canada have confirmed their participation in the Tour.

From Granma