“Our pal Bosisio positive“, said the text from Dave. Gabriele Bosisio of LPR Brakes and Italy was the subject of a UCI out of competition test, said the team statement;
“The adverse finding was a direct result of a targeted urine test, conducted immediately after a blood test triggered an unusual blood profile within the biological passport program”.
On the Kroonplatz time trial stage of the 2008 Giro, we gave Gabriele a shout as he came down off the mountain, after his ride.
He was polite and affable, happy to chat and have his picture taken with Dave.
‘A nice guy;’ to Dave and I — but to the average person who reads the cycling magazines just another dodgy Italian doper.
Di Luca broke my heart this year; he rode such a good Giro with his attacking riding, risking all to try and win — stylish, classy.
His team — Bosisio included — was brilliant; but it’s all a mess, a myth.
I’ve done nine Grand Tours; four Tours, four Giroès and a Vuelta — I’m glad that I still have my boyish enthusiasm for pro bike racing.
I listen to the other journos with their ‘cool’ senses of self importance, irony and cynicism and I think to myself; ‘I’m glad I’m not like that!’
But I guess there comes a point where it all gets to you — Landis, Rasmussen, Moreni, Vino, Dekker, Di Luca and now, Bosisio.
Meanwhile, The Guardian tells us that; ‘Astana deny getting preferential treatment from drug testers.’
Apart from Brad, Sky, the track squad and Cav (during the Tour), the only cycling stories which are news as far as media is concerned – are drugs related.
Here at VeloVeritas we don’t profess to be on the inside track on all matters pro cycling, but the stories we get — regarding drugs, who’s taking what and what some of the things ‘the powers that be’ get up to — are scary.
If you study your early season results, you’ll see that a couple of very big names were missing.
Word is that ‘someone up high’ told them to take time-out until their blood values didn’t show evidence of manipulation.
The ‘suspects’ are back, big and strong — and winning.
Was that the right or wrong thing to do? – I don’t know; but I do know that if they had tested positive it would have been a huge scandal.
The astronomical amounts of money talked about in relation to Team Sky paint a false picture of what the financial aspect of cycling is really like — and every drug scandal makes it harder to get sponsors.
Not for the Tour, though – it grows relentlessly in media and financial status every year, like some uncontrollable alien virus.
But the truth is that the going rate for a good pro – who can win decent races against strong opposition in Belgian races – is 1000 Euros per month — a long, long way from Brad’s reported £1.25 million per year for six years.
I interviewed Dave McCann on Saturday — a man who can get top dozen in the World Elite time trial champs; he’s had no contract all year.
Alex Coutts won the Tour of Taiwan in 2008 — he has to go to Greece to get a team.
The Dortmund Six Day has been cancelled, the Munich Six is in danger.
And the words ‘Plowman Craven,’ should ring a bell.
The shine from the Pro Tour circus may dazzle us into thinking how great things are, but a little lower down the food chain, things aren’t quite so rosy.
All down to drugs? perhaps not, but they can’t be helping — here at VeloVeritas, Martin, Dave and I are disappointed in you, Gabriele.