Italy: "After the storm, the Tsunami."

[Oldman]

That seems fair enough.

Though admittedly, he wouldn't exactly blurt from the rooftops "I have helped with the foundation work for the biggest doping bust operation in the history of the sport" if he had been involved, because it wouldn't exactly augur well for his comeback. I mean, Sella was unpopular, spat at upon his return and even came out to say he wasn't involved in some minor bust in Italy a while back because he is allegedly often the default villain in the national scene whenever a doping bust occurs. We would be talking that, but on a much, much larger scale.

I rather hope di Luca didn't give loads of information, in a weird way. The guy just radiates sleaze and I can't possibly fathom him as a born-again white knight.

Not much risk of that. He's probably thinking paycheck to paycheck like alot of these guys. It'll take a big name guy to be "held for questioning" to narrow the speculation a bit. Those Italian prosecutors like to sweat their suspects.

 

[thehog]

A few things of note.

Ferrari is the Don. He's a bigger catch than Armstrong. The Italians have wanted him for years but were too embarrassed to strike again after the last case was pulled on a technicality. Now Nov-hunter has given them the "in" and they're willing to go after him again.

If you want to prove team wide doping at USPS then Ferrari is your link. Knab him and it all sticks together.

To prove the Armstrong "professional" link to Ferrari they've sort payment records. Enter Swiss connection.

Ferrari keeps all his records. He never destroyed any of it.

Finally the Catlin program. At the same time Armstrong was announcing his personal anti-doping program he was already consulting with Ferrari. Thanks for the emails AoL. They were xxxxxxx.

Whether we love Lance or not. He's an addict. Addicted to dope & his performance. He was never very careful about covering his tracks. He just beat up on people so they wouldnt talk.

Thanks Hog. Ahead of the game again.

 

[Dallas_]

sniffing money

Thanks Hog. Ahead of the game again.

So really, Novi follows the money and Interpol co-ordinates efforts to do exactly the same in Europe.

The Don being one of the magic connections.

 

[Suedehead]

So who are the (rider) agents offering package deals. See Gazetta story. Rominger, Lombardi?

 

[Lanark]

According to Gazzetta the homes of Caccia, Visconti and Possoni were searched yesterday, (at least) some medical files have been taken by NAS. This was a result of the Ferrari investigation.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Wonder what Sky's vaunted anti-doping stance will do, especially as they have Ferrari boy Rogers on their books.

 

[Cobblestoned]

I wonder if teamskyfans will now "promote" Team Sky in the clinic, like he did this beautiful propaganda with Team RS and their riders, just because they started to win something this season.

The greatest thing is that Possoni doesn't even need to win to make it to the clinic now.

Off to the clinic - lol

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if teamskyfans will now "promote" Team Sky in the clinic, like he did this beautiful propaganda with Team RS and their riders, just because they started to win something this season.

The greatest thing is that Possoni doesn't even need to win to make it to the clinic now.

Off to the clinic - lol

The fansite have done all they will do at the moment, posted a brief report detailing that Possoni has been named by Gazetta, along with mention that Italian law requires the naming of all people even those on the fringes of the investigation.

When Possoni and Rogers start winning something maybe I will start some propaganda. Any personal thoughts like that regarding the team we keep to personal blogs.

 

[ingsve]

Wow, DiLuca sure knows how to pick 'em.

Didn't Il Killer help authorites and get his ban shortened because of it?

Wonder if he has any involvement in this mess.

Hmm, perhaps the authorities hired Di Luca to be a spy that could go undercover and dig up dirt on Katusha.

 

[Oldman]

So who are the (rider) agents offering package deals. See Gazetta story. Rominger, Lombardi?

Rominger does have a long history representing riders that appeared enhanced. Didn't he have a bunch of clients on ONCE? This leads into that crucial USPS era that seems to be Novitsky's public pursuit although it's likely much deeper than what we're reading now.

 

[webvan]

The more it goes and in light of the staggering amounts of money involved it's hard to imagine that the UCI wasn't in on this somehow and not only the $125,000 "donated" by Gunderson of course...I wonder whether the journalists realized how much money was behind the whole doping "folklore" they were fully aware of.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Question - was there any relationship between Disco - later Astana Mk2 and Ferrari (ie 2007-2008) ie Dertie's first TDF, the Giro where he beat a CERA'd up Ricco, the Vuelta and the second TDF victory?

 

[luckyboy]

Giro d’Italia director Angelo Zomegnan has called on race organisers to take a more severe stand against riders whose doping past might damage their races.

“Not all organisers adopt the same rigour that has been put in action by RCS,” Zomegnan told the Tuttosport newspaper. “If we want to get away from a sometimes embarrassing situation, we must not mix the sacred with the profane. Some organisers are out of control and don’t maintain a constant line of behaviour. I don’t mean to replace the institutions, but I want to guarantee that the races organised by us are true because they are clean.”

Funny stuff

 

[Libertine Seguros]

To be fair to Zomegnan, he did decide that though they had been given shorter bans, he didn't want Riccò or Sella at last year's Giro as they should have been out for 2 years. Which then makes him a hypocrite for allowing di Luca, especially considering unlike those two, di Luca actually tested positive at the Giro. Zomegnan said last year he never wanted di Luca back, he'd embarrassed them in 2007 and 2009.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

To be fair to Zomegnan, he did decide that though they had been given shorter bans, he didn't want Riccò or Sella at last year's Giro as they should have been out for 2 years. Which then makes him a hypocrite for allowing di Luca, especially considering unlike those two, di Luca actually tested positive at the Giro. Zomegnan said last year he never wanted di Luca back, he'd embarrassed them in 2007 and 2009.

I thought his comments about Dertie being welcome were hypocritical. He can't slag off other organizers for including those under a cloud while welcoming Dertie.

 

[luckyboy]

Scarponi came straight back to the Giro after his reduced ban.

Di Luca + AC decisions are hypocritical too.

Also I wonder if this Mantova-Katusha-etc investigation had gotten as far along as Puerto had in 06 we would be looking at some exclusions.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Alberto Contador reeks of excellence. Hatred of an obviously clean and falsely accused rider is unbecoming. Some of you need to be reminded that positive tests at the Tour are a thing of the past. Pat McQuaid even said so. A new hope dawns on the cycling world.

Those who strayed have come back to the fold as full believers in clean, honest cycling.

Amen.

 

[luckyboy]

Alberto Contador reeks of excellence. Hatred of an obviously clean and falsely accused rider is unbecoming. Some of you need to be reminded that positive tests at the Tour are a thing of the past.

Not wishing to take this off-topic, but it always seemed odd how, in two years of 'clean' Tours, we then had one positive test from the biggest rider in the race.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Also I wonder if this Mantova-Katusha-etc investigation had gotten as far along as Puerto had in 06 we would be looking at some exclusions.

There is still plenty of time for a few more bombs to be dropped.

This is why I asked about who Ferrari was working with 2007-2008.

 

[hrotha]

Scarponi came straight back to the Giro after his reduced ban.

Di Luca + AC decisions are hypocritical too.

Also I wonder if this Mantova-Katusha-etc investigation had gotten as far along as Puerto had in 06 we would be looking at some exclusions.

Don't forget Puerto wasn't a one-time blast. IIRC news started appearing towards the end of the Giro, but there were no consequences for anyone until the eve of the Tour.

 

[Race Radio]

Question - was there any relationship between Disco - later Astana Mk2 and Ferrari (ie 2007-2008) ie Dertie's first TDF, the Giro where he beat a CERA'd up Ricco, the Vuelta and the second TDF victory?

As I understand it no. Contador's guy is now Pepi Marti but back then he had someone else

 

[Cobber]

Not wishing to take this off-topic, but it always seemed odd how, in two years of 'clean' Tours, we then had one positive test from the biggest rider in the race.

He wouldn't have been positive if a couple of reporters hadn't got wind of a positive Clen test. The UCI would have hushed it up.

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5...ays-rider-may-have-received-transfusions.aspx

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

As I understand it no. Contador's guy is now Pepi Marti but back then he had someone else

Do we know who was doing the doping for Disco/Brunyeel after Armstrong's first retirement?

Because whatever Contador was on 2007-2008 (when he was neck and neck with Chicken and beating Ricco, etc) was out of this world.

 

[palmerq]

haha, I found this update from the cycling news live ticker quite funny, I think it was an intentional jibe

Scarponi has instead opted to undergo another training camp at altitude ahead of the Giro d'Italia. His last camp was on Mount Etna.

 

[frenchfry]

Serial doper Rebellin on his way back. Didn't want to waste a new thread on this piece of sh!t. Since he is Italian, thought this was a good place for this news.

At least we don't have to waste any time speculating if he is now riding clean, absolutely no chance of that.

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/breves2011/20110425_203220_rebellin-fait-son-come-back.html