The disgraced Italian rider Danilo di Luca is free to compete again, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Di Luca had finished second in the 2009 Giro d’Italia but was subsequently stripped of that placing and banned until July 2011 after testing positive for EPO. The Italian Olympic Committee has now reduced that ban following the rider’s cooperation with prosecutors in Padua who are investigating doping in Italian sport.
La Gazzetta speculates that Di Luca provided highly significant testimony to prosecutors seeking to break through the wall of silence to understand how the practice of doping is structured in Italy.
Di Luca was at pains to point out to the press that in his testimony he did not implicate other cyclists and had provided evidence in order to help cycling and not to hurt fellow athletes.
“I explained the methodologies used in the years that I have competed,” he said. “My decision to speak was, above all, taken in order to help young people and to make them understand that cycling is the most beautiful sport.”
Di Luca, 34, says he is looking for a new team but defended other cyclists in the wake of anti-doping prosecutor Ettore Torri’s recent comments suggesting that doping would be legal if it were not damaging to athletes’ health.
“I understand his comment and appreciate his anger because he is constantly dealing with sportsmen who are in trouble,” Di Luca said.
“However I am sure that not all cyclists are drug users. Things have changed a lot in the last decade. I can guarantee that most of my colleagues are clean. It isn‘t true that you need to dope yourself to win. A born champion is always a champion, while a domestique rider is always a domestique.”
I think queues of traffic might be very vulnerable to a cyclist swinging a U-lock at their windows! Bring on the revolution!
I won't even run lights on my bike unless visibility is poor, so hi-vis, helmet and tabard are completely out of the question, fair warning to...
I do get it....
I don't get what you mean by this. What's wrong with Bianchi?
Do you have a link?...
Amen. Meanwhile in The Netherlands...
Mavic Mektronic was the first wireless groupset. I tried it at a trade show and was not impressed as it was so slow in shifting. Shame as I really...
Careful what you wish for tory boy.
Especially :- "the cyclist, Brian Fitzgerald, who works as a banker with Credit Suisse," He's not got a lot going for him - a cyclist AND a banker.
Generally "made from bamboo" means Rayon/viscose. It's not made from oil, but it can still make microplastics.