Operación Puerto doping case
Gutiérrez's name was brought up in the 2006 Operación Puerto doping case, and he was immediately made "non-active" (although not, according to team manager John Lelangue, suspended or fired) and so did not compete in any further events in 2006. Due to the Floyd Landis doping case of the 2006 Tour de France, Phonak withdrew their sponsorship of the team and it hence folded. Gutiérrez then moved down a division to .