Ricco to Quickstep

[Michele]

You only get treated like a hero if you're from Italy, France, or Spain.
If you're from Eastern Europe, you're booed.

Ask Sella how many times he received spits on face.

 

[Angliru]

You only get treated like a hero if you're from Italy, France, or Spain.
If you're from Eastern Europe, you're booed.

I guess that explains why Roberto Heras can't get a team to hire him and is left do mountain bike races in South America. Also Koldo Gil who had a promising career but gave up after his suspension ended and no team would hire him.

 

[Angliru]

If the UCI decided which team all riders would ride for then yeah, they'd stick him and all other (ex) dopers on ****ty teams and all would be fair. Even the Pro-tour teams informal code of not recruting former dopers for 2 years was fair, but as soon as Liquigas crossed that line then they all become fair game as soon as their ban ends. If Quick Step decide to honour the original agreement and don't sign Ricco for 2 yrs - then they are disadvantaged because some other team isn't going to wait that long and is going to steal him from under their noses.
You may find fault with the system, but it's not Quick Step's fault.

Actually Discovery preceded Liquigas in the Basso sweepstakes. Of course the only difference was that Basso was only under suspicion of being involved in Puerto at the time of his being hired by Discovery, while Liquigas hired him after his suspension was served (or maybe shortly before it ended). And Liquigas renounced their Pro Tour membership at the time, thus making the Pro Tour rules not applicable to them.

 

[tgsgirl]

If QST sign Ricco, I'll stop supporting them. I really, really hope it isn't true.

 

[offbyone]

I feel sorry for quickstep and at the same time I am surprised quickstep would stain themselves with this guy.

 

[Goldberger]

Once again, Ricco has served his ban, free to come back to the sport. Even if he is a douchebag and a liar as we all know.

Obviously he still has a really good level so he should ride in the pro tour as he clearly is too good for riding around in small italian races. Afterall you dont see Basso riding for for a small continental team just because he was caught with doping.

 

[Michele]

Actually Discovery preceded Liquigas in the Basso sweepstakes. Of course the only difference was that Basso was only under suspicion of being involved in Puerto at the time of his being hired by Discovery, while Liquigas hired him after his suspension was served (or maybe shortly before it ended). And Liquigas renounced their Pro Tour membership at the time, thus making the Pro Tour rules not applicable to them.

Liquigas isnt a Pro Tour team?

 

[afpm90]

I guess that explains why Roberto Heras can't get a team to hire him and is left do mountain bike races in South America. Also Koldo Gil who had a promising career but gave up after his suspension ended and no team would hire him.

Koldo Gil wasn't suspended. After Operacion Puerto in 2006 he remained on Saunier Duval the next year. In 2008 he changed to the portuguese team Liberty Seguros, but at the end of that year he decided to end his career.

 

[BroDeal]

Jeebus. As long as dopers like Armstrong are not only racing but also getting race appearance fees then how can anyone complain about Ricco, who served his time? Don't like douchebags on Pro Tour teams? Then get rid of Cav first.

Lookin' forward to enjoying the Cobra in the Vuelta.

 

[tgsgirl]

Jeebus. As long as dopers like Armstrong are not only racing but also getting race appearance fees then how can anyone complain about Ricco, who served his time? Don't like douchebags on Pro Tour teams? Then get rid of Cav first.

That's such a weird comment. How on earth could I ever get Cav or Armstrong booted from their teams? The system is as it is, that doesn't mean I have to like it.

 

[offbyone]

Jeebus. As long as dopers like Armstrong are not only racing but also getting race appearance fees then how can anyone complain about Ricco, who served his time? Don't like douchebags on Pro Tour teams? Then get rid of Cav first.

Lookin' forward to enjoying the Cobra in the Vuelta.

So you are ok with dopers if they get caught, but hate them if they don't? You should keep in mind that no doper intends to get caught.

 

[staubsauger]

I really feel bad for Tom Boonen though. He is too great a person to have the pollution of Ricco sharing his team.

he is a ****ing sniffer . he has nothing.....

 

[Barrus]

he is a ****ing sniffer . he has nothing.....

Wow, you really are that upset that someone sniffs coke? Man, are you in for a treat.

Anyway, I hope this rumour is true, mainly because his riding always has amused me

 

[markene2]

Ricco, Contador and Kashechkin. This is going to be epic

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Ricco is a tool, but in terms of entertainment, you gotta love the way the guy rides. I look forward to seeing him at the vuelta (if indeed true).

 

[Andrichuk]

Just shows that morals are no match for pure greed. If this is true I wish them all the worst.

Funny you wish them all the worst right after you comment about them having no morals.

 

[Andrichuk]

So you are ok with dopers if they get caught, but hate them if they don't? You should keep in mind that no doper intends to get caught.

If they get caught it means they DID their time.

 

[spanky wanderlust]

i can see lefevre and ricco getting along just fine. both are pretty much total scumbags.

can't see why the sponsors would want to take on ricco though. for me, it doesn't really have anything to do with doping so much as how he behaves himself in general. seriously. how can anyone root for this guy?

didn't he throw his pregnant girlfriend under the metaphorical bus recently? jeebus is right.

he served his time for doping. true enough. but he should be seen as a public relations nightmare. i'm not surprised that lefevre can't see it. he is an ***. but what about the rest of belgium? they seem to be a nation of fairly decent people. why would they want a guy like ricco around? he makes terrell owens look like a model boy scout.

 

[The Hitch]

Ricco, Contador and Kashechkin. This is going to be epic

Kashechkin?. A stage in the Vuelta, a stage in Paris nice
Contador and Ricco watch out

 

[Epicycle]

Has anyone mentioned that Patrick Lefevre has contributed much, much, much, much more to the doping culture of cycling than Ricco ever will? Lefevre hiring Ricco is just a tiny drop in that ocean. It's an awful team for Ricco to join if he is planning on riding clean but I seriously doubt he is planning that. Lefevre's guys don't tend to test positive so we'll probably see Ricco back doing his thing, getting results and running his mouth. At least he is entertaining, putting the doping aside.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ask Sella how many times he received spits on face.

To hell with it. I kinda like the plug-ugly fella. He's certainly the (known) drugs cheat I dislike the least (with the obvious exception of Ally Vally). His cheating was blatant and obvious, but if you're going to cheat, then going ballistic in the mountains of the Giro and winning straight summit finishes from breakaways is definitely the way to do it. Some on this thread have defended Riccò saying he named names and helped people, but all he did was mention some already well-known doping doctors, which is why he struggled to get a reduction of his ban, and had to appeal it. If you want somebody who really named names and contributed to the uncovering of doping in the circles he moved in, Emanuele Sella is your man.

 

[Andre.J]

QS could show an example by not signing him. Hey, integrity is still a good word.

 

[Night Rider]

Six months ago I would have been annoyed at news like this, I didn’t like Rico before he doped, even less afterwards.

Now, I really couldn’t care less. If he’s resilient enough to get a good deal like this and done his time then good luck to him. I will actually quite enjoy Quickstep being more than just a one trick pony.

 

[staubsauger]

Wow, you really are that upset that someone sniffs coke? Man, are you in for a treat.

Anyway, I hope this rumour is true, mainly because his riding always has amused me

no in fact are don't care anything about it, i just want to show the double standart/ antanogism in his cnclusion.

 

[staubsauger]

To hell with it. I kinda like the plug-ugly fella. He's certainly the (known) drugs cheat I dislike the least (with the obvious exception of Ally Vally). His cheating was blatant and obvious, but if you're going to cheat, then going ballistic in the mountains of the Giro and winning straight summit finishes from breakaways is definitely the way to do it. Some on this thread have defended Riccò saying he named names and helped people, but all he did was mention some already well-known doping doctors, which is why he struggled to get a reduction of his ban, and had to appeal it. If you want somebody who really named names and contributed to the uncovering of doping in the circles he moved in, Emanuele Sella is your man.

i would still say that in 2008 he just has the same preperation requirements than the big riders for the first and least time and he was captured his one chance to fight with the big stars. i would still construe his conclusion that he's happy that it's all over now after he was catched and his tears at his stage wins that way. but that's my personal feeling about it and another topic than il cobra to quick step.