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

[Escarabajo]

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.

...

This is what I was suggesting some posts back, that in the off-season they can build the clean rider data base. That could include Pellizotti. Other forists have suggested that some riders, if not the majority, that dopes do it all year round (Like Hamilton).

I think that is very unlikely to happen anymore because of the costs and other logistic problems makes it very difficult for the riders. I just think that the off season is the perfect Natural Baseline for most of the cyclist even if they are drawing blood. Probably not related with spikes up in the offscore. At the same time the Bio Passport goes as far as three years ago, so the riders would have to be doing almost exactly the same amount of doping in order for not standing out in the profiles. I think the UCI has the upper hand.

 

[dgodave]

So far we know 3 out of 5 names, right?
.

 

[issoisso]

So far we know 3 out of 5 names, right?
.

3/6, supposedly.

Unless Bennati does turn out to be the second italian. If he is, we'll know very soon.

 

[python]

Do you have something against me?

not exactly.

 

[BroDeal]

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.

Sounds like Liquigas forgot to send the UCI the yearly brown envelope.

If I were one of these riders or teams, I would hire Vrijman to write a paper exonerating the accused. Let the UCI refute it without casting doubt on Vrijman previous con job for Armstrong's EPO use.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

If you translate Vrijman into English, you get 'free man'.

Fun fact

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Or just hire Valverde's legal team and stall in perpetua.

 

[Barrus]

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.

Wait, what, where? Is this really the case? Wonder who they'll substitute him for, perhaps they wanted someone else in there to ensure a better GC for Basso and Nibali

 

[DAOTEC]

The Russian is to be named tomorrow ...

Is he also about to start in the Giro ?

Here Bici link Benatti: http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias.asp

 

[Mellow Velo]

The Grand Tour madness season decends, yet again.

 

[issoisso]

Wait, what, where? Is this really the case? Wonder who they'll substitute him for, perhaps they wanted someone else in there to ensure a better GC for Basso and Nibali

Nope. Dall'Antonia is the replacement. He's a less good version of Bennati who can't help at all in the TTT

 

[Barrus]

BTW did anyone already read Pelli's statement in his press conference, quite an interesting read, and if what he states is true, only 3 of the experts stated that there were irregularities, this would really cast doubt on the entire idea of the bio-pass. And if all what he says is true it would really be strange to pick Pellizotti as a test case for the bio-pass, especially if these irregularities are so minor (again I have not seen the exact evidence and the exact problems)

parts of the press conference:
http://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/04-05-2010/pellizzotti-si-ribella-603864420570.shtml

BTW too bad I can't see a source for the biciclismo story and can't find it really anywhere else, but that might be my lack of google-fu

Never mind found it, is stated to be due to an injury from which he hasn't recovered yet

 

[wattage]

So is this pre-giro busting just a pr-stunt or are we in store for more surprises in July? Too bad AFLD won't be testing

 

[dgodave]

3/6, supposedly.

Unless Bennati does turn out to be the second italian. If he is, we'll know very soon.

Ah.... thx.
.
I didnt want to miss out!
.

 

[DAOTEC]

Barrus-BTW too bad I can't see a source for the biciclismo story and can't find it really anywhere else, but that might be my lack of google-fu

Bici just pulled the story Barrus on Benatti, so it looks like we're looking for another Italian ...

 

[Barrus]

Bici just pulled the story Barrus on Benatti, so it looks like we're looking for another Italian ...

Ooh, I found the story on other sites as well, but together with a reason as to why he didn't ride

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Het Laatste Nieuws says he is withdrawing due to a "muscle injury".

http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/1296/Giro/.../Geen-Bennati-in-de-Giro-Freire-onzeker.dhtml

Susan

 

[Jamsque]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pellizotti-insists-he-is-clean

And so the legal roundabout begins.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

 

[Straßenrennen]

lol, someone should fwrd that to Pellie then at least he knows hes a profitable body double career ahead of him.

 

[r.avens]

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/1315/melinakanakaredescsicy7.jpg[/IMG]

best of all....it's a cadillac

 

[Blakeslee]

In a press release late today Liquigas revealed Pellizotti is being withdrawn from the Giro not due to issues with his biological passport, but instead as a result of injuries sustained in an unfortunate training accident where Pellizotti ran over a garden rake.

 

[staubsauger]

but look it's possible that pellizotti could attest his ingenue by natural abnormal blood values, but he can't win the giro because there's not enough time any more, alltough the uci had that values since last year???? what's that? i mean no doubt he's guilty, but what a form of justice is that "if you are not able to circumstantiate evidence just publish them at the right time to amerce your
accused even if he could circumstantiate his ingenue later". constitutional state uci? where was this clampdown when contador and valverde were linked to puerto? and i asked it again: where are the retested-samples of giro il cera 2008? oh wait could it be that the wrong rider was juiced too?

 

[issoisso]

In a press release late today Liquigas revealed Pellizotti is being withdrawn from the Giro not due to issues with his biological passport, but instead as a result of injuries sustained in an unfortunate training accident where Pellizotti ran over a garden rake.

When prompted for comment, his boss Roberto Amadio had the following comment to make:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlTZCeF2EU

 

[Cobblestones]

So any guess what he might have taken? A mix of EPO, a transfusion, Cera?

If I had to guess, I'd go for EPO mimetic peptides. Just because it'd make it even more interesting.