Ricco

[Samu Cuenca]

Ricco's ban legitimately ended this year didn't it?

Going like that up a climb I wouldn't think he was just doing it as a hobbyist...

He was handed a lifetime ban by the Italian doping authorities in 2020, but his UCI bio says he has no sanctions now, so perhaps it would be possible for him to return, if he switches nationality and never rides in Italy.

 

[peterfin]

It was always his plan to return. That would be perfect timing. The clinic is buzzing lately.

Riccardo Riccò: I'll be 40 when my ban ends, I’ll be competitive | Cycling Today

Regarded as one of Italy’s most talented young riders at the time, Riccardo Riccò won two stages at the 2008 Tour de France but was fired by his Saunier Duval team after testing positive for CERA. Returning to the sport in 2010, he was fired by Vacansoleil in October of the following year after...

cycling.today

 

[ppanther92]

Legend! He would smash all those modern wannabes...maybe except Teddy.

Tbf, Bernal is also not really competitive anymore. But a nice CT career post 40 like Rebellin or Sevilla - why not?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Interview with the Cobra in Italian

After years in which he voluntarily stayed away from the bike, almost twenty years after what was the peak of his dazzling and deceptive sporting career, Riccardo Riccò has now turned the page and has recently managed to get back to cycling.

A gradual return that now sees him challenge himself first and foremost, putting himself to the test with the tools available to all of us. "I use apps to compare myself with the times of professionals and I'm still competitive"

Riccardo Riccò, dal doping alla squalifica fino alla rinascita: "Mi assumo le mie colpe, ma mi dopavo quando si dopavano tutti. I miei tempi ancora competitivi"

Riccardo Riccò si guarda indietro, con qualche rimpianto, ma senza necessariamente condannare quanto fatto

cyclingpro.net

 

[webvan]

I'm sure Gianetti must be delighted to see him pop back in the news ;-)

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Visma need stronger domestiques for Vingegaard, and we need someone who can challenge Vingegaard at the Giro. It's a match made in heaven. He'd also be wearing yellow like in the good old days. The only issue is that he would have to abandon after the Bulgarian stages.

 

[Rob5091]

I don't suppose for one minute that the UCI, ITA etc are glad that Ricco has popped up again in the media. Lappi will be thinking at least there's not a new Lance movie ....

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Is he still banned? Maybe Mauro will give Il Cobra a place in Teddy's Tour leadout: this would be epic!

 

[webvan]

Banned for life, no?

 

[Red Rick]

Interview with the Cobra in Italian

Riccardo Riccò, dal doping alla squalifica fino alla rinascita: "Mi assumo le mie colpe, ma mi dopavo quando si dopavano tutti. I miei tempi ancora competitivi"

Riccardo Riccò si guarda indietro, con qualche rimpianto, ma senza necessariamente condannare quanto fatto

cyclingpro.net

 

[Rob5091]

Banned for life, no?

Well, first he was banned for 12 years, then, (in 2020)
https://www.corriere.it/sport/20_di...ta-5529df18-3e0e-11eb-9065-1ec87c08befd.shtml (google translation)

On Monday, Nado Italia, the national anti-doping agency of our country, "having regard to art. 2.7 (having absorbed the case referred to in art. 2.6 in the aforementioned violation), 4.3.2, 4.7.3 of the NSAs already in force on 11/6/2013, affirms the responsibility of the same with regard to the charge ascribed to him and imposes a lifetime inhibition" Riccò, who was already serving a 12-year ban for double anti-doping positivity (it would have expired in 2024), pays on a sporting level for his involvement in the 2015 "Cycle Path" judicial investigation. At the time, he was stopped together with another amateur cyclist in the Livorno area by the carabinieri while he was buying doping substances from two health workers who had stolen them from the hospital.

Buying stolen dope .... the legend lives on!

 

[Didinho]

Just bring him back! 😍

 

[Rob5091]

Just bring him back! 😍

I think he would, be like Di Luca was - just waiting for the next doping ban. He could race for probably two weeks before kaboom! But it would be two glorious weeks!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Banned for life, no?

He's banned in Italy, but it is unclear whether that ruling applies anywhere else. The UCI don't list him as being banned anymore, unlike Armstrong, for instance. If he were to make a comeback riding with a license issued in a different country, then it is probably fair to assume the UCI would uphold the decision from Nado Italia, if they didn't acknowledge it at the time.

 

[Squire]

He's banned in Italy, but it is unclear whether that ruling applies anywhere else. The UCI don't list him as being banned anymore, unlike Armstrong, for instance. If he were to make a comeback riding with a license issued in a different country, then it is probably fair to assume the UCI would uphold the decision from Nado Italia, if they didn't acknowledge it at the time.

We have to put our trust in Meridiana Kamen.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

We have to put our trust in Meridiana Kamen.

Whirlpool Author would probably be able to provide him a fridge or freezer, for his ice creams I mean.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Are Christina Watches still knocking about?

 

[Red Rick]

Gianetti you can do the funniest thing

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Gianetti you can do the funniest thing

Apparently poor Mauro had nightmares about managing riders from the past i.e. Ricco (he never knew what they were doing behind his back) but now he sleeps a lot better working with honest riders like Pogi.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Meridiana-Kamen? PSK Whirlpool? These are good suggestions, but I think we can improve.

 

[Unchained]

He's banned in Italy, but it is unclear whether that ruling applies anywhere else. The UCI don't list him as being banned anymore, unlike Armstrong, for instance. If he were to make a comeback riding with a license issued in a different country, then it is probably fair to assume the UCI would uphold the decision from Nado Italia, if they didn't acknowledge it at the time.

With what just happened with US and Andorra federations, Ricco would have to move out of Italy and get a license from the country he moved to and he would basically be banned from Italy because there federation is not going to do out of competition tests and start chasing down that rabbit hole.
Plus federations can make rules that are outside UCI rules, one rule I would make the day he submitted paperwork.. Because of your past offenses and status, we require 4+ tests per year at your expense.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Meridiana-Kamen? PSK Whirlpool? These are good suggestions, but I think we can improve.

Anicolor or Efapel or GTFO, we need another worthy Volta champion!
Of course the also need to play Limp Bizkit's Gold Cobra when they present their lates signing.