Mantova drug investigations

[rich p]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ita...ntova-doping-investigation-should-go-on-trial


Another scandal although not quite on the Puerto Richter scale.

I can't believe that Rasmussen, Ballan, Cunego and Bruzhegin could have been on the juice. It just doesn't seem credible to me.

 

[mangaman]

http://www.cyclingne...uld-go-on-trial


Another scandal although not quite on the Puerto Richter scale.

I can't believe that Rasmussen, Ballan, Cunego and Bruzhegin could have been on the juice. It just doesn't seem credible to me.

Interesting stuff rich - although if Cunego / Rasmussen were involved in doping I'll eat my helmet.

(how's your helmet supply - almost every thread I enter, you're offering to tuck into one. I'm wondering if you them specially made from chocolate or something

)

Back to your story - not on the Puerto scale in a way - but Puerto was so airbrushed only a few got tainted.

If this finally nails Rasmussen / Cunego et al it will be very important.

 

[Dave_1]

I suppose it would be good to remove so many in one fell swoop...then at least young riders trying to break into the pro ranks and clean will have those spots on those teams...no longer being deprived of those vacancies by dopers. At the moment it is still trial by newspapers but let's see what happens next week.

 

[oldroadman]

I suppose it would be good to remove so many in one fell swoop...then at least young riders trying to break into the pro ranks and clean will have those spots on those teams...no longer being deprived of those vacancies by dopers. At the moment it is still trial by newspapers but let's see what happens next week.

A clean out of the old guard, riders, sport directors (usually ex-riders), and soigneurs, who still have the bad culture, would do no harm at all.

 

[BJH]

A clean out of the old guard, riders, sport directors (usually ex-riders), and soigneurs, who still have the bad culture, would do no harm at all.

Couldn't agree more - the teams who are taking a big stance on drugs appear to let that little fact slip. There has to be a concept of persona non grata in place to ensure if you get caught then it will be no carrer racing and no career behind the scenes.

 

[BJH]

Sorry, one further point. What a disgrace when a major team which comments about riding clean has a sporting Director who handed back his yellow jersey as a Tour winner because he knew the game was up and everyone knew he was a cheat.

Oh, so that's all right then is it? Not a problem, you have offered the jersey back so everything will be ok will it?

What about the poor B%^^%£ds who were blown out of finishing the tour that year because your use of EPO had you flying up mountains at normal flat speeds. They suffered, maybe had the pain of having to climb into the sag wagon, missed out of finishing the greatest event they would ever take part in.

Or for the first clean rider in the event that year ( Yes, they may have not even been in the official top 10 or 20 that year) who was cheated out of victory in the greatest race, the fame and fortune that go with it??

But that's ok because the Eagle offered the shirt back?

he should be banned from the sport for his admission.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

This is getting tastier. The Gazzeta dello Sport has published some transcripts from the police investigation, including Ballan talking about his (extensive) doping program, and others claiming that 'without chemicals [Ballan] would never have made it'... it's some of the most damning evidence I have seen.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gaz...es-evidence-from-mantova-doping-investigation

 

[BJH]

Damning is the word for it.

Cycling about to get dragged through it again. The UCI and the federations have to make something stick if they are ever going to get past this.

 

[Paulus]

On a slightly different tack, why are these allegations always published by the authorities just before one of the major tours is about to begin? Is there a conspiracy to discredit the sport of cycling, although the sport does a pretty good job itself, or is it just bad/good timing by the doping authorities?

 

[rich p]

On a slightly different tack, why are these allegations always published by the authorities just before one of the major tours is about to begin? Is there a conspiracy to discredit the sport of cycling, although the sport does a pretty good job itself, or is it just bad/good timing by the doping authorities?

Could just be coincidence but maybe the Giro authorities want them 'outed' now too, so they don't have a winner or rider tainted post the race.

The Padua enquiry is ongoing so Scarponi is able to ride while the investigations continue.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Could just be coincidence but maybe the Giro authorities want them 'outed' now too, so they don't have a winner or rider tainted post the race.

The Padua enquiry is ongoing so Scarponi is able to ride while the investigations continue.

I think that's exactly it. If there is not sufficient public pressure then many teams will continue to try to use the rider they know to be dodgy as long as they can.

BTW, I wonder if people know that Sky's Morris Possoni has also been implicated in the Mantova investigations, though apparently not (yet) in any central way, and Sky are doing the brazening it out thing.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Rasmussen's new team (the rather ridiculous cobbled together outfit put together by a rich friend of his) is also stalling... http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/christina-watches-will-not-suspend-michael-rasmussen-over-mantova

 

[rich p]

Rasmussen's new team (the rather ridiculous cobbled together outfit put together by a rich friend of his) is also stalling... http://www.cyclingne...en-over-mantova

This Rasmussen team is bizarre from the sponsor's point of view. I really can't see what Christina whatsit is getting out of it unless she thinks any publicity is good publicity.

Even if he was a reformed ex-offender and the Mantova enquiry wasn't hanging over his head it would be a strange rider to nail your colours to - pardon the mangled metaphor.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

This Rasmussen team is bizarre from the sponsor's point of view. I really can't see what Christina whatsit is getting out of it unless she thinks any publicity is good publicity.

Even if he was a reformed ex-offender and the Mantova enquiry wasn't hanging over his head it would be a strange rider to nail your colours to - pardon the mangled metaphor.

I had inititally assumed that they were more than friends... but she's married and he's no picture anyway.

 

[mangaman]

On a slightly different tack, why are these allegations always published by the authorities just before one of the major tours is about to begin? Is there a conspiracy to discredit the sport of cycling, although the sport does a pretty good job itself, or is it just bad/good timing by the doping authorities?

Without sounding too conspiracy-minded and as if I'm posting live from a grassy knoll, I think the "authorities" such as WADA do see cycling as an easy touch - especially before a big race.

The whole of Spanish sport from tennis / football / cycling / athletics even formula 1 suddenly is the best in the world.

Fuentes admitting doping people from all sports during Puerto.

I would eat one of richPs hats (if he's any left) if a story broke even vaguely linking Nadal to doping before a Major or a Barcelona player before the Champions League Final.

Interestingly I've just looked at what Fuentes actually said - from the link on Wiki

Here's the Wiki link - http://en.wikipedia....#Other_athletes

and the El Pais article.

http://www.elpais.co...lpepidep_23/Tes

The title is a quote from Fuentes saying he is indignant that cycling has been singled out
He says

"Preguntado por si sus tratamientos con sangre los realizaba en otros deportes, aclaró que los ha aconsejado, "como ayuda a la recuperación, a futbolistas, tenistas o atletas" which according to my Spanish, means, asked if his blood treatment involved other sports, he said he had helped with the recovery of footballers, tennis players and athletes.


Back to the original question - I think the UCI is toothless and weak. EUFA and the Tennis people will have just told the Puerto investigators to f**k off or risk reprisals - like banning all Spanish clubs from European football for example.


The UCI don't have that clout