The disciplinary committee of the Italian cycling federation has suspended Marco Fertonani of Caisse d'Epargne for two years. The 31-year-old tested positive for testosterone after the Tour Mediterranean in February. The team suspended him in July when the test results were made public.

Fertonani turned pro in 2002 with Team Phonak. In 2005 he rode for Domina Vacanze before transferring to Caisse d'Epargne in 2006. He won a stage in the Vuelta Castilla y Leon in 2006 and one in the Tour of Qinghi Lake in 2004. He finished fourth in the Tour Med this year.

Levi4life wrote:
Beloki officially goes into retirement today.

Spanish fed won't sanction Mayo

Spanish cycling's secretary general Eugenio Bermudez has refused to sanction Iban Mayo, the Saunier Duval rider whose positive test for the banned blood boosting hormone EPO raised questions about the UCI's testing procedures. Mayo's 'A-sample' from the second rest day of the 2007 Tour de France was found to be positive for EPO by the Châtenay-Malabry laboratory in Paris, but the 'B-sample' test done in Gent, Belgium was reported as negative by the Spanish federation in October.

The UCI, however, claimed that the result was not negative, but was inconclusive, and sent the remainder of the 'B-sample' back to Paris for another test. The second result was positive. Bermudez objected to the treatment of the 'B-sample' by the UCI. "They wanted that second test because they are more interested in a result that works for them," he said.

Mayo was furious with the procedure, asserting his innocence and calling the third test 'illegal'. Bermudez expects that by refusing to sanction Mayo, his organisation will face strong opposition from the UCI. "It's not voluntary but I expect (a confrontation) to come," Bermudez told The Associated Press. "If there was another manner of doing this we would prefer to do it that way but there doesn't seem to be any other route out of this."

"To satisfy people, what do we have to do? Change the laws? Kill each cyclist's career?," Bermudez asked. "There are laws for everyone – cyclists, politicians, the UCI – and if Mayo had tested positive on that same day he would have been sanctioned," Bermudez said. "But the UCI is reading the rules in its own manner, which just doesn't work for us."

issoisso wrote:


remember to act surprised

A campaign is under way to bring the Tour de France to Scotland, following the success of this year's time-trial prologue and first stage in England.
"We've had the early conversations about the possibility of hosting the 'Grand Depart'," EventScotland's Leon Thompson told The Scotsman.

"It's an iconic world-class event, and the kind of event that would sit very well within our portfolio.

"We haven't discussed possible years yet, or where it might happen."

Huge crowds turned out to see this year's time-trial prologue in London followed by the first stage through Kent down to the Channel coast.

However, Tour officials have confirmed the event will start in Brittany and Monaco in the next two years.

And Thompson added: "All conversations are at a very early stage and we're really just looking at what the possibilities might be."

Levi4life wrote:
I think the UCI should stop doing testing in France. For some reason there are a lot more contentious test results coming out of the Châtenay-Malabry lab than any other i.e. Landis and now Mayo.

Levi4life wrote:
And if the French lab could do its job then Landis should have absolutly no case.

Aquarius wrote:
He lost it, didn't he ? 2 vs 1, 1 was the man he chose, how surprising was that man's vote ?
We had the usual excuses "that same lab who already picked at an American champion last year", when you start using such arguments, it probably means that you lack more solid evidences to clear yourself...

Predictor - Lotto fires Leukemans

Björn Leukemans has been dismissed by Predictor - Lotto after the team received official confirmation that his B-sample had tested positive for testosterone. The 30 year-old had originally tested positive in an out-of-competition control on September 26, but went on to compete at the Stuttgart World Championships, finishing 13th in the road race.

"The regulations are what they are," team manager Marc Sergeant told Sporza. "A positive 'A' and 'B' sample means dismissal."

Leukemans has made no comment on the decision, heeding advice from his lawyer, but previously asserted his innocence by saying that his testosterone level was naturally high and that he was having sex when the testers arrived, which would elevate his testosterone count. However, doping experts have maintained that neither story would explain away the synthetic testosterone found in his sample using the carbon isotope test conducted in Cologne, Germany.

Sergeant said that the Predictor - Lotto team, which will be called Silence - Lotto next season, has a zero tolerance policy towards doping. "The team has one target: to race clean," he said. "The sponsors also stand behind that. Now we want nothing more to do with the affair. These things can drag on for a long time. Leukemans has no future with us."

Under the ProTour ethical charter Leukemans could be fined a year's salary if found guilty at a Flemish cycling federation disciplinary committee hearing on January 10.

the Whole T-Mobile team was doped in the 2006 Tour and I can prove it - Werner Franke