I just despise this...

[yenrod]

Riccardo Ricco, who was sacked from his team after testing positive for EPO on the Tour de France, has vowed to return to the sport.

More StoriesBlazin' Saddles: Peloton handbags
Piepoli and Ricco sacked
Ricco, runner-up in the Giro d'Italia and winner of two stages on the Tour, tested positive after the fourth stage of the race. He has denied any wrongdoing.

"I'll return and I'll return stronger than before," the 24-year-old climbing specialist was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

His Saunier Duval team pulled out of the Tour following the announcement by the French Anti-Doping Agency and sacked Ricco along with fellow Italian Leonardo Piepoli.

Media reported that Ricco returned to Italy after being interviewed by an investigating magistrate on Friday and spending Thursday night behind bars.

Under recent French legislation, a rider is liable under criminal law for using or possessing banned substances.

"The magistrate listened to all I had to say and searched the bag and everything," he said. "They did not find anything, apart from the usual vitamins that we all use. So he decided to send me home because there was nothing."

When asked if he had taken EPO, Ricco replied: "You'll know this in the next few days. On Saturday I'll go to my lawyer to start my defence."

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/19072008/58/tour-de-france-ricco-ll-return-stronger.html

-----------------------------------------------------

What a total shithouse - cant even face what he's done.

 

[Chuffy]

When asked if he had taken EPO, Ricco replied: "You'll know this in the next few days. On Saturday I'll go to my lawyer to start my defence."
What a total shithouse - cant even face what he's done.

Yup. The correct response is 'f*ck off you little Worm, because in a years time, no-one will know who the hell you were".
Hopefully the ASO will be taking a very strong line in their events with any rider who gets nailed and their team.

 

[yenrod]

>On Saturday I'll go to my lawyer to start my defence

Who against - himself ?

 

[doyler78]

I'm sorry but I don't see any evidence that S-D done anything to aid this doping so I don't think they should be banned and given that S-D are likely to withdraw their sponsorship you have to wonder who it is that they are going to be punishing. All well and good to be tough but it must have a purpose.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

If sponsors withdraw, teams will have to start realizing that the only ones likely to get support are those that start being proactive - i.e.: doing their own comprehensive monitoring (blood passports etc.). It is actually not good enough for Saunier-Duval's management to say that they didn't know. The fact is that they didn't try to find out - they turned a blind eye. Prudhomme was quite clear about what he thought og their management style at the press conference the other day, and he was right.

 

[doyler78]

If sponsors withdraw, teams will have to start realizing that the only ones likely to get support are those that start being proactive - i.e.: doing their own comprehensive monitoring (blood passports etc.). It is actually not good enough for Saunier-Duval's management to say that they didn't know. The fact is that they didn't try to find out - they turned a blind eye. Prudhomme was quite clear about what he thought og their management style at the press conference the other day, and he was right.

I don't know the answer to this however I can see that some of the smaller teams with very tight budgets could have real problems finding the room their budget for this. Not all teams have big budget sponsors.

The larger teams have taken responsbility for rider profiling that really ought to be the responsibility of the regulators and have put pressure on smaller teams to do the same however with their more limited budgets it maybe isn't quite as easy.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Even Plowman-Craven in the UK are introducing it. It should be seen as a minimum requirement for top level racing not an expensive extra.

 

[doyler78]

Even Plowman-Craven in the UK are introducing it. It should be seen as a minimum requirement for top level racing not an expensive extra.

I think I need to read a little more on this as I really don't know much about it. If the UCI continues with its blood passport for riders then is there really a need for it at a team level also. Seems to be more about portraying an image that it is about actually doing anything practical that will not be already done elsewhere. Of course you can argue that image is important in the current climate.

Also are there any transparent check in place which will ensure that any internal team testing is not interfered with otherwise it ends up like they are policing themselves which really wouldn't instil confidence in anyone given the known history of team sanctioned doping.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I think it boils down to whether you view doping in cycling as solely a rider-level problem or whether it's bigger than that, institutionalised. I see it as the latter, therefore the only way to clean it up is at that level.

I thought S-D were clearing out of cycling soon anyway? Can't recall where I got that from though so maybe not.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Saunier Duval (the company) are no longer going to sponsor the team - however Saunier Duval (the team - whatever they will now be called) may or may not continue.

 

[doyler78]

Have mentioned this on another thread however it releveant to this thread as well.

Interesting investigation done by the bbc in relation to testing procedures for the olympics but of course it calls into question the general quality of the work being undertaken by WADA approved facilities.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7516484.stm