Professional Cycling For the Fans - first big name dropped from giro (doping)

and the winner is...

pellizotti (http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/4011/Pellizotti-out-of-Giro-dItalia-for-suspicious-UCI-Biological-Passport-values.aspx)!

i was wondering who they were going to name.

Pellizotti

It doesn't make much sense too me why somebody would want to be a professional cyclist & there weak.

???

It doesn't make much sense too me why somebody would want to be a professional cyclist & there weak.

much like your post (and grammar, and spelling).

Looks like Valjavec got nailed too.

Looks like Valjavec got nailed too.

There just seperating the weak from the strong before the Giro.

Its all good.

The International Cycling Union announces that disciplinary procedures have been requested against the following riders for apparent violation of the Anti-Doping Rules on the basis of the information provided by the blood profiles in their biological passports:

* Franco Pellizotti (ITA)
* Jesus Rosendo Prado (ESP)
* Tadej Valjavec (SLO)

Each rider mentioned above shall be accorded the right to the presumption of innocence until a final decision has been made on this matter.


09 Giro final general classification

1 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 86.03.11
2 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini 0.41
3 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 1.59
4 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 3.46
5 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas 3.59
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 5.28
7 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 8.43
8 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 10.01
9 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale 11.13
10 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. 11.28


Ship em down the river...

It'll be a wide-open field without Menchov, Di Luca, Pelizotti, Schleck, Team Radio Shack (like they would have been in the mix anyway :rolleyes:). Any predictions now? Basso? Van de Velde? Sastre?

The only comment I have about all this is Kudos to the UCI for not leaking the names of the riders
prior to the announcement today (as opposed to that other agency who systematically leaks to L'Equipe).
My understanding is the riders were notified in February and asked to explain the values, and other than
a statement that riders were being questioned there was nothing other than speculation on the web
and in the papers.

Marty

FTA: "Last year both Pelizotti and teammate Vicenzo Nibali were accused of working with infamous Italian doctor Michele Ferrari. Both riders denied the link and threatened legal action."

Why yes, that would be the same Ferrari that Lance Armstrong was associated with.

09 Giro final general classification
1 Denis Menchov
2 Danilo Di Luca - Doper
3 Franco Pellizotti - Accused Doper
4 Carlos Sastre
5 Ivan Basso - Doper
6 Levi Leipheimer
7 Stefano Garzelli - Doper
8 Michael Rogers
9 Tadej Valjavec - Accused Doper
10 Marzio Bruseghin

*Sigh* :(

*Sigh* :(

+1.

If I was a well known professional cyclist, I would have to seriously think about packing it all in. Is he a doper?, isn't he?, Did he win the Giro doping?, Yeah good cyclist, but he probably doped?. That would be on my mind constantly, dampening my mindset & training. Don't know if its worth it or whether I could deal with it. I could deal with the training all day long, but the mental burden of being accused, even though I was clean, I don't think so.

Wonder how everyone else would feel?. Training & living hard but everyone believing your a cheat.

And the number one UCI ranked cyclist right now? Valverde - Doper.

Nice. That really shows the world cycling is committed to clean sport - an un-punished doper as the world #1.

And the number one UCI ranked cyclist right now? Valverde - Doper.

Nice. That really shows the world cycling is committed to clean sport - an un-punished doper as the world #1.

And still racing.

Its a disgrace.

If I lost out to Valverde in a classic, my first excuse would be simply, can't beat a doper.

Damn, Pellizotti was on my Giro fantasy team. Oh well, glad he got booted before the start.

It'll be a wide-open field without Menchov, Di Luca, Pelizotti, Schleck, Team Radio Shack (like they would have been in the mix anyway :rolleyes:). Any predictions now? Basso? Van de Velde? Sastre?

Cadel Evans has been riding very strong since the '09 Vuelta and World Championships.

Cadel Evans has been riding very strong since the '09 Vuelta and World Championships.

He has, but is this what he's out to try to win?

And still racing.

Its a disgrace.

If I lost out to Valverde in a classic, my first excuse would be simply, can't beat a doper.

What happened to your "doping decreases performance" line?

It'll be a wide-open field without Menchov, Di Luca, Pelizotti, Schleck, Team Radio Shack (like they would have been in the mix anyway :rolleyes:). Any predictions now? Basso? Van de Velde? Sastre?

just glossing over the provisional start lists, the names that jump out:
evans, sastre, vinokourov (crazy, i know but the giro is a crazy race),
vladdy karpets, cunego & nibali.

not sure the level of commitment here from several-esp. evans-instead of tdf aspirations.
with that in mind, my pick for the overall is nibali. if kreuziger was here instead, i'd pick him.

would like to actually pick evans who is on a roll. assuming evans is still within 2 minutes of
the overall lead going into the final week, he'll be tough to dislodge. i feel out of the
riders i mentioned, he's the most likely to win the last day time trial and the least likely to
"blow up" on the final 2 mountain stages.

okay, now that i've hedged my bets, i pick:
evans-if he's actually racing to win the whole thing.
nibali-if evans is not actually racing to win the whole thing.

I like that response!

Michael Barry breaks out of his traditional domestique role in a major way...

ok - I was kidding. Wouldn't be surprised to see Van de Velde on the podium. I'm sure he'd rather peak at the Tour, but if he's in the mix, this could be his last, best chance to win a grand tour, and he might just be up to the challenge.

I'm going for Carlos Sastre,i like the cervelo test team,and it would be nice to see him, take it.I wouldnt be mad if Astana/Vino took it,just because it's a slap in the radioshack face.Garmin and Vandevelde would also be a good win.

I am looking forward to this years 3 grand tours. Especially the TDF! Cantador and Armstrong have been avoiding each other. Radio Shack is a bunch of geriatrics who could pull it off. The Schleck brothers, no divided loyalties there. And there will be a couple of new riders coming up and challengeing!

It all starts Saturday, but first the Giro must be settled. It looks like Radio shack is concentrating on the Tour of California. Not sure if that is a good idea or not for them. You do not want to race too hard, but you need to race hard enough. I am sure they have a plan.

Lets see how it turns out!

okay, it looks like cadel evans isn't just treating the giro as a tdf warm up.
my giro podium:

1. cadel evans
2. vincenzo nibali
3. carlos sastre

okay, it looks like cadel evans isn't just treating the giro as a tdf warm up.
my giro podium:

1. cadel evans
2. vincenzo nibali
3. carlos sastre


1 Sastre
2 evans
3 basso

He has, but is this what he's out to try to win?

I think so. The TdF will be much tougher with likes of Contador there. Winning the World Championships and the Giro within a year ain't shabby.

As much as I like Sastre, I see others on the podium. He's definitely a talent on climbs, but age is not a friend, and he doesn't have the same quality of support that he had when he won the tour - far from it. I think the combination of the long stretch with no rest days, the prologue, the TTT and the final time trial are more adversity than he'll be able to overcome. Still a pick for top 10, or maybe even top 5, but that's it. Cadel, Nibali, Van de Velde, Basso, Wiggins, and Garzelli all have a better shot - and Vino will definitely make things entertaining.