The Italian Olympic Committee is attempting to ban an entire cycling family for doping.
CONI anti-doping prosecutor Ettore Torri recommended Thursday that cyclist Lorenzo Bernucci; his wife, Valentina Borgioli; brother, Alessio Bernucci: mother, Antonella Rossi; and father-in-law, Fabrizio Borgioli, be banned after being linked to blood doping by a prosecutor in Padua.
Bernucci's former teammate with Lampre, Alessandro Petacchi, also is being investigated after police raided both riders' houses in April.
A six-year ban has been requested for Bernucci, who is facing his second offense after testing positive for a non-amphetamine appetite suppressant and getting fired by the T-Mobile team in 2007.
Four-year bans have been recommended for each of the other family members, which would prevent them from involvement in any sporting events in Italy.
The case will be decided by CONI's internal anti-doping court.
"I wasn't expecting the prosecutor Torri to request such a severe penalty," Bernucci told the ANSA news agency. "When I'm called before the anti-doping court, I will clear up my position, and then the judges will decide. I don't think the family has anything to do with this. My relatives didn't do anything."
The announcement came just a few hours after a gathering of cyclists at CONI attended by Italy's health minister Ferruccio Fazio, who announced new measures to combat doping at the amateur level.
"Out of 500 tests in the first semester of 2010, 15.9 percent came back positive among males," Fazio said. "I am about to sign off on a new anti-doping commission that will work very closely with CONI that will produce informative campaigns and collaborate with other anti-doping institutions, starting with the NAS [an elite police force]."
Michael Rasmussen Named Captain of New Cycling Team
By AP and Roadcycling.com Dec 8, 2010 - 10:13:14 AM
A Danish watch designer has named former Tour de France yellow jersey holder Michael Rasmussen of Denmark captain of a new cycling team.
Christina Hembo said Wednesday her company had bought 100 percent of a UCI-registered professional continental team and the new outfit will be known as Christina Watches.
The second-tier UCI professional continental teams can compete in events like the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, and the Vuelta a Espana, but need to be invited by race organizers.
Rasmussen led cycling's showcase race in 2007 until he was kicked off his Dutch Rabobank team for lying about his training whereabouts. He was banned for two years.
The 36-year-old Dane returned to the sport in 2009 and has been racing with Hembo as his personal sponsor since July.
The use of the banned muscle-building and weight-loss stimulant that Tour de France champion Alberto Contador tested positive for is widespread in cycling, according to American cyclist Floyd Landis.
Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour title because of doping, told German television on Monday that he knows riders take clenbuterol.
"I think that the risk of taking clenbuterol is higher now than it was earlier, when there weren't any training controls," Landis said. "There is still the risk of being caught even if it is rather small now, since the product has usually degraded when the control takes place.
"You don't know what risks people will take to win a race."
Contador, who won his third Tour de France title earlier this year, said his positive test for clenbuterol was the result of eating contaminated meat. He is facing a two-year ban and could be stripped of his victory at an upcoming hearing before the Spanish Cycling Federation.
Landis has previously alleged that Lance Armstrong and members of their former U.S. Postal Service team systematically doped. A grand jury in Los Angeles has been hearing evidence from an investigation for months in closed sessions.
Landis said Monday that cycling's governing body UCI "protects some people (riders) and not others."
"That is the way they manipulate results and create stars," Landis, who acknowledged his own doping history when he rode for U.S. Postal and Phonak, said and added "It is easy to take anabolics, whether it is testosterone, growth hormone or something like that; and EPO and to make blood transfusions. You can easily do all of that without getting caught, and we routinely did it."
Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has always denied doping.
China is set to host an event on the road cycling WorldTour for the first time.
The Tour of Beijing will be held Oct. 5-9, pending the award of a license, the International Cycling Union said in a statement Thursday.
UCI president Pat McQuaid said the event would advance the governing body's mission to make cycling more global.
"We are all aware that Asia has a huge pool of talent and immense passion for our sport and I am convinced that the whole cycling movement will profit from the very considerable beneficial effects of an event of this size," McQuaid said.
Other stops on UCI's WorldTour already include Oceania's Tour Down Under and the Quebec and Montreal Grand Prix.
Li Yingchuan, director of the Beijing Sports Bureau, said a tour event in China was made possible by the exposure the sport received from the 2008 Olympics.
"The concept of organizing an event such as the Tour of Beijing would probably never have seen the light of day if this country and city had not had the immense privilege of hosting the Olympic Games," Li said.
The agreement between the UCI and the Chinese authorities is initially valid for four years, running through to 2014.
"Cycling in China, in particular, is currently experiencing very impressive development," McQuaid said.
Li said the race could also have important environmental benefits.
"The Tour of Beijing will be a catalyst to getting our citizens out of their cars and back on to their bicycles, the traditional mode of transport in China," McQuaid added.
Spanish Cycling Chief Hopes Alberto Contador Will be Cleared
By AP, with additional commentary by Roadcycling.com Nov 9, 2010 - 5:34:21 AM
The head of the Spanish cycling federation is hopeful that Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will be cleared of doping in what is expected to be a drawn-out investigation.
The International Cycling Union asked the Spanish body on Monday to open disciplinary proceedings against the three-time Tour winner, who has been provisionally suspended.
"Personally, as the president of the cycling federation, I hope it's resolved in favor of the athlete. Not only for the benefit of the cyclist, but it would be good for cycling," Juan Carlos Castano told Spanish national radio late Monday night. "I've know him sine he was very young ... and I can't help but feel this empathy with Alberto Contador."
Contador - one of only five cyclists to win road cycling's three Grand Tours - risks losing his Tour title and facing a two-year ban.
Castano said the UCI's delay in providing documents had created doubts over the "complicated" case, which the 27-year-old cyclist claims came from contaminated meat.
"What's clear is this will be a complicated case due to all the documents we've received from the UCI," Castano said. "Usually once the results are known in the laboratory they are immediately sent to the Spanish federation's committee to open the case. This has taken three months and has created a lot of doubts in all senses."
Castano said the RFEC's four-person disciplinary committee will begin discussing the case on Wednesday. Spanish law gives the committee three months to reach a verdict before the case is turned over to Spain's national anti-doping agency. At that point, the UCI could also take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The UCI has submitted six times the normal amount of documents for the case, Castano said, while Contador's team had also submitted a high number of documents in his defense.
On Tuesday, Castano attempted to cut out any notion that Contador would receive favorable treatment.
"If Alberto has made a mistake then he will have to assume his responsibility because the competition committee will not show any favorable treatment because it's Contador," Castano said. "The rules will be applied and we'll try to be fair."
Castano expects the case to drag into the Court of Arbitration for Sport regardless of the outcome. The UCI, the World Anti-Doping Agency or Contador can go to CAS if unhappy with the outcome.
The UCI announced in September that Contador had been provisionally suspended after his urine sample taken on the July 21 rest day contained "very small" traces of banned anabolic agent clenbuterol. The UCI did not mention alleged high levels of plastic residue found in Contador's sample, which scientists believe can indicate a rider has received a transfusion of his own blood.
Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck stands to win the title if Contador is stripped.
"It doesn't really change anything. In one way it is good for cycling that it comes pretty quick," the Luxembourg rider told Belgium's VRT television network. "For me, I lost the Tour on the road and even if I stand in a few years in the books that I win the Tour, it is not like it will be a victory."
Contador, who won for the Kazakh-backed Astana team before signing with the Saxo Bank-SunGard team, has threatened to quit the sport regardless of the decision.
"The more time this takes the worst this is for everyone," Castano said, "and I think we've done a lot of damage to cycling during this time."
Spanish cyclists Ezequiel Mosquera and David Garcia are also being investigated after positive doping tests at this year's Vuelta a Espana.
Spanish Cycling Chief Hopes Alberto Contador Will be Cleared
By AP, with additional commentary by Roadcycling.com Nov 9, 2010 - 5:34:21 AM
The head of the Spanish cycling federation is hopeful that Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will be cleared of doping in what is expected to be a drawn-out investigation.
The International Cycling Union asked the Spanish body on Monday to open disciplinary proceedings against the three-time Tour winner, who has been provisionally suspended.
"Personally, as the president of the cycling federation, I hope it's resolved in favor of the athlete. Not only for the benefit of the cyclist, but it would be good for cycling," Juan Carlos Castano told Spanish national radio late Monday night. "I've know him sine he was very young ... and I can't help but feel this empathy with Alberto Contador."
Contador - one of only five cyclists to win road cycling's three Grand Tours - risks losing his Tour title and facing a two-year ban.
Castano said the UCI's delay in providing documents had created doubts over the "complicated" case, which the 27-year-old cyclist claims came from contaminated meat.
"What's clear is this will be a complicated case due to all the documents we've received from the UCI," Castano said. "Usually once the results are known in the laboratory they are immediately sent to the Spanish federation's committee to open the case. This has taken three months and has created a lot of doubts in all senses."
Castano said the RFEC's four-person disciplinary committee will begin discussing the case on Wednesday. Spanish law gives the committee three months to reach a verdict before the case is turned over to Spain's national anti-doping agency. At that point, the UCI could also take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The UCI has submitted six times the normal amount of documents for the case, Castano said, while Contador's team had also submitted a high number of documents in his defense.
On Tuesday, Castano attempted to cut out any notion that Contador would receive favorable treatment.
"If Alberto has made a mistake then he will have to assume his responsibility because the competition committee will not show any favorable treatment because it's Contador," Castano said. "The rules will be applied and we'll try to be fair."
Castano expects the case to drag into the Court of Arbitration for Sport regardless of the outcome. The UCI, the World Anti-Doping Agency or Contador can go to CAS if unhappy with the outcome.
The UCI announced in September that Contador had been provisionally suspended after his urine sample taken on the July 21 rest day contained "very small" traces of banned anabolic agent clenbuterol. The UCI did not mention alleged high levels of plastic residue found in Contador's sample, which scientists believe can indicate a rider has received a transfusion of his own blood.
Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck stands to win the title if Contador is stripped.
"It doesn't really change anything. In one way it is good for cycling that it comes pretty quick," the Luxembourg rider told Belgium's VRT television network. "For me, I lost the Tour on the road and even if I stand in a few years in the books that I win the Tour, it is not like it will be a victory."
Contador, who won for the Kazakh-backed Astana team before signing with the Saxo Bank-SunGard team, has threatened to quit the sport regardless of the decision.
"The more time this takes the worst this is for everyone," Castano said, "and I think we've done a lot of damage to cycling during this time."
Spanish cyclists Ezequiel Mosquera and David Garcia are also being investigated after positive doping tests at this year's Vuelta a Espana.
Alberto Contador can stop cycling, mother according to
By AP and Roadcycling.com 24 October 2010 - 3: 42: 33 AM
Alberto Contador is seriously to quit cycling regardless of the results of its investigation of doping, mother France tour champion said Saturday.
Paqui Velasco said Contador will fight to clear any suspicion about if took doping to win his third tour in July, but the "nightmare" took a heavy mental toll on 27 year-old son.
"He says:" I think about quitting bike when it is termine.Il is not a value ' "Velasco said AP and added" that he would do?It is not known.""That is exactly why Contador remains a pro cyclist,"said the pro cycling analyst and founder of Roadcycling.com Thomas a. Valentinsen.
Contador quoted last week, saying that he could quit the sport after having provisionally suspended by the International Cycling Union allowing a test anti-doping 21 juillet.Contador positive argued that traces of clenbuterol drug banned in his sample comes from contaminated steak.He also denied that tests has also found traces of residues in plastic, which indicates that there may have been banned blood transfusions.
Velasco was among those 500 Pinto, hometown of Contador - out in support of the rider. Velasco said she would support his son even though he decided to give up this sport.
"He asked:" is it use me anything to keep cycling?He raises it and say "You're right", "Velasco said. If you look, since he won the first round of France so far, there has not been a quiet year. ?
Contador was called testify before a judge of Madrid in case of operation Puerto de 2006, then proceeded to win the round a year more tard.Contador could not defend his title after Astana has extended not an invitation to the competition because of doping violations.He won Italy and rather Spanish Tower tour back in 2009 for his second title.
"This end bien.Si not, it would be horrible and one of the worst attacks on recycling, it may be," Velasco said. "" "" It is unworthy - there are few words in the dictionary to define what happens with Alberto.?
Whereas Contador has stayed out of sight, Velasco said his son has maintained a regular training schedule and while gathering last Saturday unfolds.
"We wanted to use this chance to keep their spirits high and he reasoned, said Manuel Sopena, Mountain Bike Pinto Club has organized the event."If it does feel alone in this.?
The scene was contrast July home of Contador when a rowdy city plaza was brimming with enthusiasm for victory after the town, which sits 12.4 miles south of Madrid - Contador on the map once more.
People of all ages rode their bicycles on a 1.9-mile route and some poems read while several singing impromptu songs o.d. ' other agreed that the Spanish rider was innocent and a part of a larger parcel.
"This is a campaign to defame Alberto French - perhaps even against Lance Armstrong []" said Ballesteros de Gregorio aged 55 years of age. "Now us need more than ever because it is innocent and own rider.?
Basque President Patxi Lopez wanted to address concerns of consumers on the status of basque in the defence of the Contador on steaks meat bought the border in Irun.
"Consumer - a cyclist or not - have all the possible guarantees that the product has no residues,"Lopez said.""
