None of Merckx's 3 positive tests were valid. In Lombardy 1973 he had a TUE but that one was denied. In the Stimul affair of 1977, the Belgian Fed did not warn its riders that the thing was detectable.
Savona is a huuuge scandal. Anybody who thinks otherwise do not deserve talking with.
First of all, I think we should put the whole affair into its context. These were the early days of anti-doping in cycling, some 20 years before other sports carried out testing.
At that time, the race organizers were usually in charge of the testing and the riders often could not defend themselves. I have examples from one book by Geminiani (Anquetil's coach) who said that in Paris-Nice 1968 he had three positive riders, among them was Jan Janssen. Geminiani is known for speaking out his mind without taboo for whatever reason. At that time he was told: "Gem', if you don't shut up, you'll end the season without a single rider." That was evidence that they did what they wanted. From another source I learned that Janssen was furious when he heard about Merckx's post-Savona rehabilitation. Not against Merckx, of course, whom he respected but furious about the double standard because he was trapped in much the same way. He also mentioned the case of other riders like for example Gerben Karstens.
Another clear example of anti-doping organizations using their mafiosi power was the case of Anquetil's non-sanctioned second Hour record. I would be the last to defend Anquetil but that was a schandal. The UCI is in charge of the testing for Hour record attempts. UCI President was a certain Mr. Rodoni. Rodoni had interest in the new velodrome of Rome and made the suggestion to Anquetil but he definitely wanted to make it on the legendary Vigorelli in Milan. He made it. After such an attempt, you don't feel like ****ing since your balls were stuck to the saddle for an hour. Merckx after his own succeeded attempt had to wait for three hours before he finally could. Anquetil was asked to go to the test straight afterwards. He finally negotiated with the UCI doctor to have the test in his hotel. He went to his room, had a bath and then waited for the doctor in the entrance hall. He wouldn't come up. He and Gem went back to the velodrome only to learn that the doctor had locked the control. All this because of Rodoni's vendetta.
I don't have more info about all this but these stories just show that the Savona affair was not an isolated case in this troubled era.
What happened during the Giro 1969. After the stage Parma-Savona, Merckx was a sure winner of his 2nd Giro. It was 16th stage and the mountains were behind. During the rest day, German Rudi Altig (a friend of Merckx's) came up in his hotel room with a suitcase. You bet there were beautiful banknotes in it. Eddy's response: "Rudi, don't open it. I don't wanna know what's in there. Just go away." Altig added: "It's not over" (not unprecedented in the Giro history. Binda was payed to skip the event in 1930, too dominant).
The Giro organizers had for the first and last time set up a mobile lab which followed the race and in which the samples were analyzed. It was perfectly illegal. In Italy the analyses should have been carried out in a UCI-sanctioned lab in Rome. The urine should have been poured in two flasks. One should have served for the initial testing and the second one should have been kept at the Italian Medical Institute in Rome for some 40 days, ready for a possible B-test, with the accused rider's presence, accompanied by an expert of his choice. A bailiff should also be present.
The first testing happened during the rest day in Savona. And a second analysis was carried out ... during the night in the same lab. Merckx had not even been warned. He was just warned an hour 1/4 before the start of the next stage and was expelled. No way he could defend himself.
All the fundamentals of justice had been scorned in Savona !!
Gimondi's reactions were: "We want proof and are ready to go on strike if need be." And "Beyond the win in a cycling race more important values persist like the respectability of an athlete and a man".
After the announcement, Rodoni promised thorough investigation on the matter. Quite curiously, the two flasks were then nowhere to be found ! Who stole them? What was there to hide?
The morning after the disqualification, the Faema team made voluntary testing under witness, Merckx included. All negative. Merckx then voluntarily took the Reactivan, and tested positive. He was positive still positive 48 hours afterwards. Samples analyzed in a lab in Ghent. Meant to prove that the first voluntary testing made by Faema under witness should have been positive too because the substance left traces after 48 hours. Not the most convincing argument but still.
The suspension was lifted on June 14.
Giro organizers have always been biased towards home favourites. In the 50's and the 60's the likes of Magni, Nencini, Motta or Gimondi could all take advantage of pushes from tifosi in absolute legality and it reached its peak in 1984 when everything was made to have Moser win against Fignon (flat routes, mountain stage cancelled under the false excuse of bad weather, helicopters, supersonic bike tolerated for ITT). Torriani was very imaginative.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram