Manolo Saiz is selling his bike collection - want it?

You're going to need a big garage and an even bigger wallet, but if you're interested in the classic bikes of the pro peloton then what better way to start your collection than with 57 hand-picked classics from the stable of none other then Manolo Saiz?

Saiz was Directeur Sportif of ONCE from 1989 to 2003, and during that time he steered the team to the very top of the pro peloton, with Laurent Jalabert, Alex Zülle, Abraham Olano, Igor González and Joseba Beloki among his charges. He's picked up a few bikes along the way too, and 57 of them are apparently now for sale.

Apparently? well, the ebay auction page is a touch confusing. It's live, with a starting price of $50,000 and bids coming in, but little information on the bikes. "Special collection all bikes bikes have racing history," says the page. "Example Belocki's bike that he took his fall on the Tour with Armstrong.I have a collection about 70 bikes will sell the entire collection ONLY. Will provide any information needed.Most are one of a kind NIKE bike made by LOOK in titanium.Again this are collectors bike will sell entire collection ONLY. Will provide pictures of entire collection."

Despite being for 57 bikes (not the 70 mentioned above, a note further down the page corrects that) there's only eight pictured; there's some beauties among them though including an ONCE-stickered Lotus, a Giant MCR TT bike, an extraordinary Nike one-off with the swoosh as the top tube and a heavily fared Look in dashing yellow.

The provenance of the collection is revealed further down: "I am Manolo Saiz, I auction my private collection by personal motives, I want to auction it complete, and whom ever would buy it or show a good interest I would be glad to show this collection and providde further documentaions.  The bike are Personal design and passion, therfore I have provide Andres the ability to sell my collection," says a note further down the page. And there's another one too, which suggests the ebay auction will be closed (currently it's still open, although it ends this afternoon) and that the bikes will be available to view from May 25 to May 28 in Santander. Certainly it's a collection that deserves a better airing than a few snaps on ebay...

Do you recognise any of the bikes in the gallery at the top? if so, comment below and tell us who you think they belonged to!