UCI: Italian Giro top favourite will be Bio-pass exposed in hours

[BroDeal]

Liquigas refusses to suspend P ...

Liquigas believes in innocence Pellizotti

AP - Published: May 4, 2010 1:36 p.m.

LONDON - Liquigas has a doctor hired to investigate the abnormal blood levels of Franco Pellizotti. Monday was the 32-year-old Italian suspended until further notice due to fluctuations in its biological passport.
© ANPDe UCI, the teams and federations asked the suspect to suspend drivers. Liquigas announced in a statement that enables them to respond. "Provided that we examine the responsible authorities to respect, we emphasize that the statements Pellizotti and experts do not question."

Leader

"We are not impressed by the evidence. To make the situation clear mapping, we have our own researcher, Dr. Roberto Corsetti, was appointed."

Pellizotti was Liquigas' targeted leader for the Giro d'Italia, which starts Saturday in Amsterdam. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the blood levels of climber last year for the Tour de France were collected differ from other values in the passport. Pellizotti finished in 2009 and second in the Tour of Italy.

Misunderstanding

Liquigas does not understand that there are over ten months passed before the UCI took the case out. "Why is this news only on the eve of such an important world event, expertly made? We hope that the final assessment of the UCI in this case not so long overdue."

Does this mean Pellizotti will start the Giro? That would seem to be dangerous for Leaky Gas. Halfway through the race CONI could officially open a case against Pellizotti, which should force a suspension from racing.

If Caisse refuses to suspend Valverde, why should Liquigas suspend The Dolphin?

 

[Mellow Velo]

IF and its a big if, Liquigas were unaware of the situation, as they state, then I agree with them, entirely.
This eve of the Giro unveiling, 10 months after the fact, hits the entire team with maximum impact.
It's hard not to feel sorry for Vince Nibs, who now has to ride an unscheduled 3 week monster. They guy has been riding since February and was looking forward to a rest in California!

So California will lose it's big Liquigas name. I'm not sure that's what Pat had in mind, when he instigated his cunning plan.

 

[hektoren]

IF and its a big if, Liquigas were unaware of the situation, as they state, then I agree with them, entirely.
This eve of the Giro unveiling, 10 months after the fact, hits the entire team with maximum impact.
It's hard not to feel sorry for Vince Nibs, who now has to ride an unscheduled 3 week monster. They guy has been riding since February and was looking forward to a rest in California!

So California will lose it's big Liquigas name. I'm not sure that's what Pat had in mind, when he instigated his cunning plan.

If, and it's maybe not a big if, Pozzato is guilty of doping (the Passport-people probably checked, double-checked and triple-checked) I don't believe Liquigas has the best of all reasons to complain. Being unaware may come as a result of turning a blind eye.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

IF and its a big if, Liquigas were unaware of the situation, as they state, then I agree with them, entirely.
This eve of the Giro unveiling, 10 months after the fact, hits the entire team with maximum impact.
It's hard not to feel sorry for Vince Nibs, who now has to ride an unscheduled 3 week monster. They guy has been riding since February and was looking forward to a rest in California!

So California will lose it's big Liquigas name. I'm not sure that's what Pat had in mind, when he instigated his cunning plan.

I think it has more to do with how the Biological Passport is set up - as I said before, it is a dope test run by committee, which means it can take a long time.

I was surprised at the delay - but the 9 person 'expert panel' who review the samples only meet last December - one would assume some samples would have required closer examination.

Then at the end of February the UCI notified the riders who had returned suspicious readings to explain their abnormal readings, this is a new WADA rule and the riders are given 30 days to do so.

The explanations are sent back to the 9 person medical panel who advise the UCI what action to take.

I would doubt the timing is intentional, just that its a long slow process.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

If, and it's maybe not a big if, Pozzato is guilty of doping (the Passport-people probably checked, double-checked and triple-checked) I don't believe Liquigas has the best of all reasons to complain. Being unaware may come as a result of turning a blind eye.

Wrong metrosexual...... Pellizotti not Pozzato!

 

[hektoren]

Wrong metrosexual...... Pellizotti not Pozzato!

Sorry!!! All the P's and Z's made me think of pizza, and my sugar-levels dropped because of a sudden surge in insulin-production. I was only semi-conscious!
How's that for an excuse?

 

[Roland Rat]

Sorry!!! All the P's and Z's made me think of pizza, and my sugar-levels dropped because of a sudden surge in insulin-production. I was only semi-conscious!
How's that for an excuse?

Pathetic. Not even a single mention of haemorrhoids.

 

[Escarabajo]

... In practice it seems to me that UCI does in fact operate according to "beyond reasonable doubt" or in fact sometimes an even stricter standard.

This is what I thought too.

Maybe they need to revise the definitions.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I speculated about Astanagate being revealed on the eve of the Tour and was taken to task for suggesting the AFLD would resort to such a tactic.
Yet, here we are, with the UCI doing exactly that.

If Liquigas were none the wiser, then it's now wonder they are angry.
Not only does this effect them at the Giro, but also ruins their ambitions for the Tour, in regard to Nibali.

Meanwhile, Valverde is linked to his third doping ring, has his Italian ban confirmed by CAS and yet the UCI cannot issue a similar proclamation, to stop him riding.

Is his DNA confirmed, EPO enriched blood bags not sufficient evidence?

 

[joy118118]

Does this mean Pellizotti will start the Giro?

Nibali is going to Amsterdam. dont think leakygas will change the startlist again.

 

[flyor64]

Rosendo's blood readings due to haemorrhoids? | Cyclingnews.com

FWIW, at burst internal haemorrhoid does result in the symptoms the article describes, but as someone already posted here, a strong showing at a race just seven days afterwards, seems counter to that...

 

[Cerberus]

This is what I thought too.

Maybe they need to revise the definitions.

I suspect it's there for judicial reasons. If they say they operate according to a lesser standard it could be harder to challenge a conviction in some non-UCI Court.

 

[Escarabajo]

His schedule called for 114 days of doping. It specified EPO use on thirty days between December and February. With microdoses it would probably require even more days of doping.

That was the good old days. I don't expect riders to be on that type of program anymore. At least not that freely. Besides, how many riders can afford that program anyway?

 

[frenchfry]

IF and its a big if, Liquigas were unaware of the situation, as they state, then I agree with them, entirely.
This eve of the Giro unveiling, 10 months after the fact, hits the entire team with maximum impact.
It's hard not to feel sorry for Vince Nibs, who now has to ride an unscheduled 3 week monster. They guy has been riding since February and was looking forward to a rest in California!

So California will lose it's big Liquigas name. I'm not sure that's what Pat had in mind, when he instigated his cunning plan.

With a bit of luck he is vacationing on a beach somewhere and will win the Giro against all expetations.

Wait, haven't I seen that happen before?

 

[Epicycle]

What are the chances that this doctor will see the obvious and say that the UCI's conclusions are valid?

That is a good point. Even if the doctor is on the level he may not know anything about doping. That kind of average doctor is going to assume that the abnormal test results are from some kind of common medical issue and not from doping. It's like the guy Landis got to testify for him. A very accomplished doctor but a guy who really didn't know what he was talking about because he knew nothing about doping practices.

 

[Barrus]

That is a good point. Even if the doctor is on the level he may not know anything about doping. That kind of average doctor is going to assume that the abnormal test results are from some kind of common medical issue and not from doping. It's like the guy Landis got to testify for him. A very accomplished doctor but a guy who really didn't know what he was talking about because he knew nothing about doping practices.

He is a doctor employed by a cycling team, do you really believe he knows nothing of doping?

 

[Mellow Velo]

ISD's Scognamiglio in the clear and the team is as angry as Liquigas.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-confirms-there-is-no-scognamiglio-bio-passport-case

 

[Barrus]

the team is as angry as Liquigas.

where did you find this?

 

[theyoungest]

Meanwhile, French cyclist Mickael Larpe (Roubaix-Lille Métropole) was busted for EPO use today.

 

[Mellow Velo]

where did you find this?

It helps to read the provided link:

The ISD-Neri team angrily denied the allegations, saying that the 26-year-old Italian had received no notification of any suspicions or disciplinary proceedings, which the UCI confirmed today.

As a result of the situation, ISD-Neri's management is considering registering the team outside of Italy for the 2011 season.

 

[python]

according to issoisso it's an old news

according to me the 'news' has it's own thread already.

 

[Cobblestones]

Interesting times. A few comments:

1) the timing issue. Could it be that in the case of Pellizotti, they had the suspicious reading from the 2009 TdF, but not a good baseline? Maybe they had to run a few tests throughout Oct. Nov Dec. 2009 to get a good baseline on the other side of the spike? It could explain the delay.

2) Difference in team reactions: In the case of Valjavec, it seems the team manager got the news yesterday through the press just as everybody else. I think Tadej should have informed his management when he got notified by the UCI. But wait, probably AG2R would have put him on inactive status right away? In the case of Leakygas, I assume the team was informed by Pelizotti from the start (which would be Feb.). They had time to prepare their reaction, obviously. Very professional and perfectly gauged press release for instance. They have their own expert picked who apparently already went through the data.

I think it's interesting to speculate concerning the difference in team-rider collaboration in the face of doping allegations.

3) The hemorrhoid defense: gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "pulling an excuse out of your ar$e" (sorry couldn't pass that up).

 

[Barrus]

It helps to read the provided link:

Is still says nothing about Liquigas

 

[issoisso]

according to issoisso it's an old news

Amazing. No matter how many times I tell you I NEVER SAID THAT. EVER, you just keep insisting I did.

Do you have something against me?

 

[issoisso]

And now Liquigas have pulled Bennati with no reason given. Surely he can't be the other italian guy. Surely. 2 Liquigas big names busted this close would be too much coincidence.