Jesús Manzano

Jesús Manzano

Personal information
Full name	Jesús Manzano Ruano
Born	Birth date -1st March 1966 Madrid, Spain
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Professional team
2000–2003	Kelme

Jesús Manzano Ruano (born March 12, 1978, in Madrid, Spain) is a former professional road cyclist who rode for the Kelme team from 2000 to 2003. He is perhaps best known for his public confession in 2004 regarding systematic doping within the professional cycling world, particularly within his former team.

Career

Jesús Manzano turned professional in 2000 with the Spanish cycling team Kelme, where he competed until 2003. During his career, Manzano participated in several major Grand Tours, including the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. However, his career did not yield significant victories, and he was often used as a domestique, supporting his team leaders.

Doping Confession

In 2004, after leaving Kelme, Manzano made headlines when he gave a series of interviews to the Spanish newspaper Diario AS, in which he detailed his experiences and the prevalent use of performance-enhancing drugs in the peloton. His allegations included the use of EPO, human growth hormone, and corticosteroids, along with blood transfusions. Manzano's revelations led to a broader discussion on doping practices in professional cycling and contributed to increased scrutiny and changes in doping regulations within the sport.

Impact and Legacy

Manzano's confession was one of the first major insider testimonies that shed light on the depth of doping in cycling, predating other high-profile confessions, such as those of Floyd Landis and Lance Armstrong. His openness led to a significant backlash from many within the cycling community, but also paved the way for reforms in anti-doping measures in the sport.

Post-Cycling Life

After retiring from professional cycling, Manzano has kept a relatively low profile. His post-cycling activities and current occupation have not been widely publicized.

See Also

• Doping in sport
• List of doping cases in cycling