Ricardo Ricco’s decision to separate from his girlfriend over a positive doping test (as reported on CyclingNews) has enraged the cycling Twitterati.
Let’s be clear about this – it was her test, not his. Vania Rossi is a cyclocross rider; a sample taken from her at the Italia Cyclocross Champs on 10 January showed positive for CERA, the advanced EPO variant, and she has been preliminarily suspended, pending tests on a B sample. She is maintaining her innocence, a position which Riccò’s reported statements somewhat undermine.
Riccò, if you remember, was kicked off the 2008 Tour de France for… testing positive for CERA. He has since apologised for cheating, and is due to race for Ceramica Flaminia this season once his two-year ban ends in March. The couple have a son together.
Robbie McEwen (@mcewenrobbie), in particular, used some very judiciously chosen words to describe his reactions, which I won’t repeat but which sum up the general sentiment. As the Italians say: ‘Vergognati!’ Like so much to do with doping, the whole affair just stinks. Robbie, we need more pros being outspoken on doping: I couldn’t agree with you more.
