Reports: Heras to quit U.S. Postal
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Heras has been linked with a move to Liberty Seguros.
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MADRID, Spain -- Tour of Spain winner Roberto Heras plans to quit Lance Armstrong's U.S. Postal cycling team for a new Spanish outfit, according to Spanish media reports.
The Spaniard, considered one of the world's best climbers and a key member of Armstrong's entourage during his fifth straight Tour de France win in July, has been approached to lead the Liberty Seguros team.
"We are negotiating," Heras' lawyer, Jose Maria Buxeda, told the As newspaper.
"U.S. Postal hasn't said that Heras is non-transferable."
U.S. Postal team director Johan Bruyneel told the Marca newspaper that Heras had said he wanted to leave despite having a year left on his contract.
"Apparently he has received an offer of a three-year contract to lead another team," Bruyneel said.
"We are not happy with the situation but if Roberto wants to leave there is nothing we can do to stop him."
Heras, 29, won his second Tour of Spain title in this year's Vuelta, having previously won the race in 2000.
He joined U.S. Postal in 2001 following a contractual battle with former team Kelme that ended when the American outfit agreed to pay a compensation fee.
"I can neither deny nor confirm the reports," Heras told Marca. "I don't want to talk about it."
