Will Ricco's big mouth actually save cycling?

Ricco is notorious for bashing fellow riders verbally, and now he has thrown his dope provider under the bus. Did Ricco not get the memo? I can't wait until he rats out more...

Riccò names supplier

Former Saunier Duval-Scott rider Riccardo Riccò has named Carlo Santuccione as the supplier of the EPO that he used during the Tour de France, according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Riccò who won two stages before being thrown off the race for a doping violation, told that he paid 700 Euros for the third generation EPO named CERA.

"I have not paid, naturally," said Riccò. "Santuccione assured me you could not be found positive. So I did not give him the money."

Santuccione is widely known in professional cycling as 'Ali de Chemist' and in the late '90s the former doctor was suspended for his involvement in a doping affair. In 2004 he was also arrested after the prescription of the performance-enhancing drugs anabolic steroids, growth hormone and EPO.

This year the doctor was relieved from his post for life. Santuccione is the former doctor of Danilo Di Luca and former professional Rodolfo Massi, who was discredited during the Festina-Affair in 1998.

This has to be dangerous for Ricco. What happens when Ali the Chemist reveals that Ricco has been on the sauce a lot longer than a couple of weeks before the Tour de France? What happens if Ali is prosecuted and it leads to the downfall of riders like DiLuca?

On the other hand, having docs like Santuccione waking around free is a joke. Prison is the only thing that will make these guys stop. I don't see why France cannot prosecute people like Santuccione on some sort of conspiracy to commit regular financial fraud. Ricco won prize money via fraudulant means.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

Or what if Ali the Chemist isn't the real supplier but just a patsy prepared to be accused as he has nothing left to lose? The real supplier stays in the shadows and the doc who has already been sanctioned takes the proverbial bullet?

Rolfrae, as a good southern European, who sees a conspiracy theory everywhere, I have to agree with you. Strange that it is Santuccione, who is already 'out of the system'...

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De Rosa Planet
Campagnolo Per Sempre!
PAOLO BETTINI CAMPIONE DEL MONDO x 2!

The thing about conspiracy theories is that they are very often right. The fact that Ricco lied through his teeth until he was caught says all we need to know about how much he can be trusted. I was lying before but now it's the truth.

i still laugh when i read this. is this a mistranslation or did ricco really job santuccione on the money for the sauce? i mean, the logic is impeccable. if santuccione tries to have him tested for it and it can't be detected, then ricco wasn't doping. we've definitely gone down the rabbit hole.

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"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues

I still think Ricco was framed.

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Hey Slovak Guy. Do you recognize my avatar? It used to be on Wyoming Ave.

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NO...only free drugs will

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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

forty fort theatre. still there but now it's offices or something, right?

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"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues

You got it.

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Finally some one talking sense!

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Harry