List of Recent Doping Operations & Details

[luckyboy]

After getting confused between Galgo and Grial, I've started this thread so there is a one-stop place that everyone can check out who has been investigated as a part of which doping investigation/operation. An easy way to find out the history of riders and staff.
I realise that not every rider listed will be/has been found guilty of doping, and I'm not calling every name a doper, but I think all names mentioned in connection with an investigation should be included for completion.

Feel free to add information, names of more obscure investigations, and any corrections.


Mantova Investigation
Sparked by the confession of Emanuele Sella after he tested positive for CERA in 2008. This came into the public domain around April/May 2011 and centred on the sale and use of prohibited substances including EPO, ephedrine, testosterone and cortico-steroids. 35 people were/are under investigation, including a lot of former and current Lampre riders and staff.

Dr. Guido Nigrelli (Pharmacist/veterinarian, raided in the 2001 Sanremo Giro Raids, longtime working relationship with Saronni)
Dr. Fiorenzo Egeo Bonazzi (Doctor at a surgery in Montichiari)
Dr. Josè Ibarguren Taus (Doctor at - Euskadi 1995, Lotto 1999, iBanesto 2001, Lampre 2002-04, Euskaltel 2005, Saunier Duval/Fuji 2006-09, Omega Pharma 2010-)
Dr. Andrea Andreazzolli (Former Lampre doctor, now with Astana)
Dr. Carlo Guardascione (Lampre doctor)
Giuseppe Saronni (Former Lampre manager)
Fabrizio Bontempi (Lampre DS)
Maurizio Piovani (Lampre DS)
Sergio Gelati (Former Saunier Duval personal trainer)
Fabio Della Torre (Lampre physiotherapist)
Alessandro Ballan
Damiano Cunego
Francesco Gavazzi
Mauro Santambrogio
Marzio Bruseghin
Michael Rasmussen
Massimiliano Mori
Manuele Mori
Francesco Tomei
Mirko Lorenzetto
Marco Bandiera
Mauro Da Dalto
Simone Ponzi
Emanuele Bindi
Daniele Pietropolli
Francesco Bonazzi (?)
Geo Bonazzi (?)
Nicola Castrini (?)
Roberto Messina (?)
Paolo Bossoni (Retired cyclist)
Paolo Pezzini (Retired cyclist)
Pietro Caucchioli (Retired cyclist)
Mariano Piccoli (Retired cyclist)
Stefano Cavallari (Retired cyclist)
Sebastian Gilmozzi (Mountain biker)
Matteo Zambroni (Footballer)


Padova Investigation
This investigation is being co-ordinated by Italian prosecutor Benedetto Roberti, and is focused on Michele Ferrari. In 2010, Roberti met with Jeff Novitzky in relation to his investigation of Lance & Ferrari. The information Emanuele Sella gave during his suspension contributed towards this investigation, which is part of the ongoing trafficking investigation, Via Col Doping.

Dr. Filippo Manelli (Doctor from Brescia, raided, wiretapped)
Alessandro Petacchi (House raided on April 3/4 2010, nothing found)
Lorenzo Bernucci (House raided on April 3/4 2010 - PFC & human albumin found, confessed in August 2010, banned for 5 years)
Alessio Bernucci (Bernucci's brother, banned for 3 years)
Valentina Borgioli (Bernucci's wife, banned for 4 years)
Antonella Rossi (Bernucci's mother, banned for 4 years)
Fabrizio Borgioli (Bernucci's father-in-law, banned for 4 years)
Michele Scarponi (His room at the Lampre hotel on Etna was searched on April 14 2011, nothing found)
Giovanni Visconti (Home raided on April 22 2011)
Morris Possoni (Home raided on April 22 2011)
Diego Caccia (Home raided on April 22 2011)
Yaroslav Popovych (Home raided in November 2010, computers and mobile phones seized)
Evgeni Petrov (Bio-Passport details confiscated from Katusha team HQ in Veneto raid of April 14 2011)
Aleksander Kolobnev (Bio-Passport details confiscated from Katusha team HQ in Veneto raid of April 14 2011)
Vladimir Karpets (Bio-Passport details confiscated from Katusha team HQ in Veneto raid of April 14 2011)
Mikhail Ignatiev (Bio-Passport details confiscated from Katusha team HQ in Veneto raid of April 14 2011)
Vladimir Gusev (Bio-Passport details confiscated from Katusha team HQ in Veneto raid of April 14 2011)


Operación Galgo, Operación Grial.....

 

[luckyboy]

Operación Puerto

Dr. Eufamiano Fuentes (AKA Asterix)
Yolando Fuentes (AKA Yoly) - Eufamiano's sister, Kelme/Comunitat Valenciana doctor
José Luis Merino Batres (AKA Obélix) - Madrid-based hematologist and former director of the Transfusion Centre of Madrid
Alessandro Kalc (AKA Manos Pequeñas) - Former mountain biker, blood bag/doping product courier
Alberto Leon (AKA Ali Baba) - Former mountain biker, blood bag/doping product courier
? (AKA Jandro)
Manolo Saiz (AKA Osobuco, Gordo) - Liberty-Seguros-Würth manager
Vicente Belda - Kelme/Comunitat Valenciana manager
José Ignacio Labarta (AKA Macario, Whiskers) - Kelme/Comunitat Valenciana DS
Rudy Pevenage - Kelme/Comunitat Valenciana & Phonak DS
Alvaro Pino - Ullrich's personal advisor, Telekom/T-Mobile manager

TEAM CSC
Ivan Basso (AKA Birillo) - Barred from the 2006 Tour. Admitted he was Birillo, admitted 'attempting to dope', suspended for 2 years in May 2007.

ILLES BALEARS/CAISSE D'EPARGNE
Alejandro Valverde (AKA Valv.(Piti)) - Suspended from racing for 2 years in May 2010, backdated to January.
Constantino Zaballa (AKA - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.

TELEKOM/T-MOBILE
Jan Ullrich (AKA Jan, Yo, Hijo de Rudicio) - Barred from the 2006 Tour, retired in February 2007. No sanctions.
Óscar Sevilla (AKA Sevillano) - Barred from the 2006 Tour. Sacked by T-Mobile, but returned with Relax-GAM in 2007. No sanction.

AG2R PREVOYANCE
Francisco Mancebo (AKA Paco, Goku) - Barred from the 2006 Tour, retired. Then changed his mind and rode for Relax-GAM in 2007. No sanction.

PHONAK
Santiago Botero (AKA Sansone, Nicol)
Santi Pérez (AKA Santi-P, Santi PZ, S.Pere) - Already suspended for 2 years from March 2005. Returned with Relax-GAM in 2007. No sanction.
Tyler Hamilton (AKA 4142, HMLTN) - Got away from Puerto unscathed, had just come off a two-year ban when Puerto broke.
José Enrique Gutiérrez Cataluña (AKA Búfalo, Guti, Catalán)

ANDALUCIA-PAUL VERSAN
Ángel Edo (AKA Edo) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.

SAUNIER DUVAL-PRODIR
Koldo Gil (no nickname) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Carlos Zárate (AKA Zárate) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.

MERCATONE UNO-SCANAVINO
Marco Pantani (AKA PTNI) - Died 3 years before Puerto broke.

LIBERTY SEGUROS- WURTH/ASTANA-WURTH
Jörg Jaksche (AKA Bella, Jorge, JJ, Vains, Vans) - Admitted doping, banned for 1 year, never came back.
Michele Scarponi (AKA Zapatero, Presidente) - Admitted he was Zapatero. Banned for 18 months in May 2007.
Giampaolo Caruso (no nickname) - Sanctioned for 2 years by the IOC, acquitted by CAS.
Unai Osa (AKA UNA, 1ai) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Aitor Osa (AKA ATR OS) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Marcos Serrano (AKA Alcalde, MS, SRR) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Roberto Heras (AKA RH) - Banned for 2 years after testing positive during the 2005 Vuelta. Retired in 2007. No sanction.
Ángel Vicioso (AKA AV, Vcs, Vic) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Jesús Hernández (AKA Hdez) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
David Etxebarria (AKA ETB) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Joseba Beloki (AKA JB, Blk) - Barred from the 2006 Tour. Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction. Never rode again.
Igor González de Galdeano (AKA IG) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Alberto Contador (AKA AC) - Barred from the 2006 Tour. Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Allan Davis (AKA AD) - Barred from the 2006 Tour. Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. Australian authorities' investigation was closed in December. No sanction.
Isidro Nozal (no nickname) - Barred from the 2006 Tour. No sanction.
Dariusz Baranowski (no nickname) - No sanction.
Nuno Ribeiro (no nickname) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Sergio Paulinho (no nickname) - Barred from the 2006 Tour.
Luis León Sánchez (no nickname) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
René Andrle (no nickname) - No sanction.
Jan Hruska (no nickname) - No sanction.

KELME/COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
David Latasa (AKA Latasa) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Francisco Cabello (AKA Hair) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
David Blanco (AKA Blanco) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Javier Pascual Llorente (AKA Llorente) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Eladio Jiménez (AKA Eladio) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Javier Pascual Rodríguez (AKA P. Rodríguez, Pascual Rodríguez) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
David Bernabéu (AKA Bernabéu) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Rubén Plaza (AKA Rubén) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
José Luis Martínez (AKA Martínez) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Carlos García Quesada (AKA Carlos, Carlos García) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Vicente Ballester (AKA Ballester) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Manuel Lloret (AKA Lloret) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
José Adrián Bonilla (AKA Bonilla Alfredo) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Antonio Olmo (AKA Olmo) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Adolfo García Quesada (AKA Fito) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Javier Cherro (AKA Cherro) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Juan Gomis (no nickname) - Cleared by the Spanish Court in July 2006. No sanction.
Ángel Casero (AKA Casero) - Already retired. No sanction


Officially Unidentified (with year they were 'treated)

Urco, Urko, Rosa (2004) - In December 2010, Operación Galgo revealed this to be Spanish runner Marta Domínguez
Pink (2003, 2004)
Caesar (2004, 2005)
Clasicómano Luigi (Classic hand Luigi)(2006)
Amigo de Birillo - Süddeutsche Zeitung alleged that Fränk Schleck had paid €6991 to Dr. Eufamiano Fuentes. Schleck admitted this, but denied doping.
Huerta (Orchard)(2006)
Clasicómano (Classic hand)(2003)
101
Cowboy (2003)
Panticosa (2003) - Panticosa is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain
Pavarotti (2003) - Suspected to be Mario Cipollini by Italian newspaper La Repubblica
Pepito (2003)
Nibelungo (2003) - Nibelung is the name in Germanic/Norse mythology of the royal family of the Burgundians. In the Wagner opera, it referred to a race of dwarves
THE (2003)
Mary (2002, 2003, 2006) - Said by Jesús Manzano to be José María Jiménez, this was impossible due to Jiménez's death in 2003
Mari (2006)
MZD (2005) - Suspected to be Eddy Mazzoleni by the Guardia Civil
Gemma
ANA
CFA
Falla
Sofa
Klaus
Tonante (Thunderer)(2005) - Suspected to be a famous middle-distance runner by the Spanish newspaper ABC
Tor
Guri
Huri
Blue
Milan - Italian city
Quebrantahuesos (Bearded Vulture/Osprey) - A cyclist from Aragon, whom Yolanda treated
Sansone - Alleged by La Gazzetta dello Sport to be Michele Bartoli

 

[luckyboy]

Blank post 2 - will be needed.

 

[luckyboy]

Blank post 3 - will be needed.

 

[luckyboy]

Blank post 4 - will be needed.

 

[The Hitch]

Good idea.

When did you go back to the lipstick avatar?

I got a funny feeling youll have a French national champions avatar tomorrow though.

 

[luckyboy]

Sometime in June I think I went back. Was going to put Gilbert up when he won, but he wins too often so I thought I might as well.

Haha, would be nice if he wins tomorrow

 

[luckyboy]

If anyone knows what year/s Josè Ibarguren Taus was doctor at Lotto in the late 1990s, that would be a help.

He must be a great doctor - overseeing Rumsas' podium place at the Tour, the infamous GT stages of Saunier Duval, and now helping out Vanendirty and Gilbert.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I wonder if Mari or Mary is to do with María Isabel Moreno, the Spanish track and road champion who tested positive and was barred from the Olympics.

 

[jobiwan]

Thanks for the lists. I need to work on my history.

 

[L'arriviste]

If anyone knows what year/s Josè Ibarguren Taus was doctor at Lotto in the late 1990s, that would be a help.

He's a shady fellow, difficult to pin down.

Ibarguren was certainly doctor at Lotto-Mobistar in 1999. He has also done stints at Banesto, Euskaltel, Saunier Duval, Lampre and - right before OPL - at Fuji-Servetto.

I have no recorded information earlier than 1999 but I believe he was probably at Euskaltel before Lotto-Mobistar, so you can guess which stable he comes from. Like others of his generation, he's been feasting on the scene for a long, long time. EDIT: I think you have it right!

 

[L'arriviste]

For Mantova, I'm pretty sure it's Fabio Della Torre rather than Telladore. Unless I missed his name there, you can also add our old friend Pietro Caucchioli to that list.

 

[luckyboy]

I have no idea what Josè Ibarguren did between 1995 and 1999 though. Probably still at Euskaltel.

Thanks, changed Della Torre. Caucchioli is at the bottom (retired cyclist).


I've always wondered who these were. The clues seem stronger in these nicknames than some..

Nibelungo (Either a small guy 'dwarf' or someone from S-E Germany - I searched through Coast/Bianchi for someone, but nobody is from that area)
Panticosa/Quebrantahuesos (Someone from Aragon/nickname - bald eagle)
Milan (Someone from Milan obviously)
Clasicómano & Clasicómano Luigi (Classics rider/Italian classics rider - seem to remember people talking about this possibly being Bettini)
Tor (Hushovd??)
Cowboy (American rider..)

 

[D-Queued]

Thanks for the lists. I need to work on my history.

Ditto. Excellent and helpful work.

...No sanction...

Good grief.

Dave.

 

[luckyboy]

Going to do Grial/Galgo either tomorrow night or the day after. What other investigations in the last 5 or so years?

 

[L'arriviste]

Nibelungo ... SE Germany ... dwarfs ... I guess you have to fancy someone off T-Mobile for that one. Kessler was part of that clique and he came from Nurnberg. Klier was from Munich. Or I suppose there's always Stefan Schreck.

 

[L'arriviste]

Going to do Grial/Galgo either tomorrow night or the day after. What other investigations in the last 5 or so years?

Many of the bigger episodes took years to unfold, so it depends on whether you go by their original dates (as I do in my research) or by the conclusions.

Carrera (Andorra) is sort of just happening - not really big enough yet. You mentioned Via Col which will doubtless never end, most of whose suspensions so far were recorded between late 2009 and June 2010. Freiburg was announced in May 2009 but of course the events proper were much more distant. The Landuyt and Padova Gym cases also reached their respective conclusions in 2009. The "Best Of 2008" included the LA-MSS bust, Moletta's (unsanctioned) Viagra haul and of course, Ullrich's fraud investigation.

I've hinted about it before but I'm very close to releasing my online doping research project now. I've been working on it quite solidly for almost a year after I got inspired by a lot of post-Tour doping chatter on these forums. It's been really hard work but a lot of fun. It's helped me catch up on years of cycling history that I missed out on while I was busy studying and then getting a job. It contains over 700 fully-sourced incidents involving over 670 of the sketchiest individuals in European pro cycling history!

 

[khodder]

Cowboy (American rider..)

Fully know the implication here, but with the association with "Cowboys" with Texas and more precise, the city of Dallas is very big.

 

[luckyboy]

Not sure it would be him due to the Ferrari connection.

Many of the bigger episodes took years to unfold, so it depends on whether you go by their original dates (as I do in my research) or by the conclusions...................

Just pretty much anything involving riders still racing now. Thanks for those couple of investigations. Will be interesting to see yr database.

 

[khodder]

Not sure it would be him due to the Ferrari connection.

Good Point, the other state in the US that has a bit of an assocaition with "cowboys" and Farming would be Montana.

Levi Leipheimer is from Montana, and OP broke not long prior to the 2006 Tour, a tour Levi would probably like to forget, especially after his form coming into that race winning the Dauphine with a stage win on Ventoux.

 

[ElChingon]

With all the sample available how hard is it to verify this one or even un-verify (for fairness in today's fairness insanity).

Cowboy (American rider..)