October 19, 2006 (Montreal, QC) – According to an article in Montreal’s La Presse today, after months of delays and almost non-stop travel to Europe for planning, Canada’s Charles Dionne (Saunier Duval – Prodir) expects to undergo surgery for sciatica problems in the next two to three weeks.

The result of the surgery, which is intended to definitely resolve the left leg problems that plagued Dionne’s entire 2006 season – his first at the ProTour – is expected to go a long way towards determining Dionne’s future with directeur sportif Mauro Gianetti’s team.

According to the article, the team retains the option to renew or not the rider’s contract for an additional season. Despite a rumour in September that Dionne had been released from the team, Dionne’s agent, Erik de Pokomandy, says that he spoke to Gianetti recently and that the directeur sportif had no idea where that news came from. “He told me he still believes in Charles. If the surgery goes according to plan and he recovers well, they’ll surely keep him,” said de Pokomandy.