Positive Drug Test results at the Giro
 

This article was in Bicycling.com



Tour of Italy:
Positive Drug Tests Floor Giro
By James Startt, European Associate to Bicycling


Stage 17 of this year's Tour of Italy had the makings of a tremendous transition stage. A circuit race around the picturesque town of San Remo on the Italian Riviera, with the pack racing up the mythic Poggio climb...what more could bike fans ask for? But a series of positive drug tests served to dampen the festive spirits, and cemented a shadow that promises to remain over this year's race.

After Frenchman Pascal Hervé failed a random drug test on Tuesday's rest day, Italy's Ricardo Forconi, teammate to Marco Pantani on the Mercatone-Uno team, failed tests before the start of today's stage. And these two positive cases came only days after a multitude of products were seized from a camper belonging to the family of two-time winner Ivan Gotti.

Such events have competed for headline space with more enjoyable stories focused on the daily stage or the distinctive pink leader's jersey. And coupled with the non-performances of many pre-race favorites such as Francesco Casegrande or Stefano Garzelli, the Giro seems to have lost its steam in the third of three weeks.

Oh yes, Pietro Caucchioli of the Alessio team rode brilliantly to win his second stage.

That's what they were saying in Bicycling mag. It will be very difficult for him to catch on with another team if he gets dropped.

drug use WILL kill this giro. I think that 3 positive drug test in a lifetime should equal a lifetime ban. and its 1,2, 3 strikes your out AT THE CYCLING GAME!!! i dont care if the drug test positives are years apart, 3 and your done

Servus!

This is HUGE news here in Europe. I hear tales of the Mercatoni Uno guys tossing boxes and boxes of unidentified medications out hotel windows during the raid.

I also heard last night that over two hundred examples of banned substances were siezed during the raid, but this is seriosly unconfirmed, so don't whine at me if it ain't true!

I agree that once the UCI can prove three offenses that you should be banned from licensed riding. Cycling was just getting up from the Festina scandal, only to be slammed to the floor again with this. Truly a shameful and dark hour for professional cycling.

At another board I visit, someone had posted that Lance is proof that you can be clean and competitive. With these reports mobile labs being run by teams to insure that everyone tests clean - who can really be sure that a particular rider is clean?