ONCE (cycling team)
ONCE cycling team, (UCI team code: ONC) also known as Liberty Seguros, Liberty Seguros–Würth and in succession in its final year, Astana–Würth and Astana was a Spanish cycling team. It competed in the UCI ProTour circuit.
The team at the 1993 Tour de France | |
| Team information | |
|---|---|
| UCI code | ONC |
| Registered | Spain |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Disbanded | 2006 |
| Discipline(s) | Road |
| Status | ProTour |
| Key personnel | |
| General manager | Manolo Saiz |
| Team name history | |
1989–1998 1999–2000 2001–2003 2004 2005–2006 2006 2006 2006 | ONCE ONCE–Deutsche Bank ONCE–Eroski Liberty Seguros Liberty Seguros–Würth Würth Team Astana–Würth Team Astana Team |
On 25 May 2006, Liberty Mutual ("seguros" means "insurance" in Spanish) pulled out of primary sponsorship due to a doping scandal involving the directeur sportif, Manolo Saiz. On 2 June 2006, the team acquired a primary sponsor named Astana, after the capital of Kazakhstan. Würth was co-sponsor until 3 July 2006, withdrawing at the end of the 2006 Tour de France, in which Astana–Würth didn't compete . At the end of the season, Astana also withdrew due to the non-participation in the Tour. On 16 December 2006, the UCI withdrew the ProTour licence of Saiz's company, Active Bay .
Some riders and staff formed the Kazakhstan-based Astana Team.