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.”
Dry and briight tomorrow morning in that there London. Bit chilly mind.
Think you have hit the nail on the head. These allegations are fabrications by people who don't care about horses but just want everyone else out...
3m wide cycle lane hard shoulder less danger from close passes than many other rural roads....
and for the price of a sportive entry you can probably get a very nice pub lunch AND afternoon tea in a cafe
Do you have any add-ons in your browser? One of those might be causing an issue or some script is running that is slowing it down.
What's the speed limit on a freeway?...
Mark is still trying though and this youtube podcast from 56 mins tells the history of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak_KTR5ZhsY&t=56m30s
Is it pile-on time?...
Bingo. I live in a hot climate and have pretty much given up on short-sleeved jerseys. I've got one of these (in a different print) and wear it on...
What's the overall weight of the bike as tested? Sorry if I've missed that, just couldn't see it! Many thanks, Fraser