Team has history of signing controversial riders
Disqualified Olympic silver medallist Davide Rebellin is today reported as having signed a deal to return to racing with the Continental Miche team, joining another controversial rider on the squad, Stefan Schumacher.
Like the Italian, Schumacher was caught with traces of the third generation EPO substance CERA in his system during the 2008 Olympic Games, and suffered a lengthy ban.
Rebellin was confirmed positive in the spring of 2009, and was subsequently stripped of his Olympic medal.
He was recently linked to the the Spanish Professional Continental team Andalucia-Caja Granada, having previously been said to be negotiating with teams such as Geox-TMC Transformers, Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli and De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia.
Now, according to Biciciclismo, he has opted for Miche.
The team’s move has been already questioned by some, not least because it was announced today that its rider Pasquale Muto tested positive for EPO at last month’s Giro dell’Appennino. He finished fifth in the Italian event and now must decide if he wants his B sample to be analysed.
While some teams are reluctant to sign riders who have been suspected, Miche appears to relish in doing so. Michael Rasmussen competed with the team last year, while Stefan Schumacher made his comeback from his two year ban with the same squad.
Rebellin insists never to have doped, but was secretly recorded during the 2011 Giro d’Italia. That tape incriminated him in the use of EPO.
He has a series of high profile wins, including Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, a stage in the Giro d’Italia and, seven years ago, the treble of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Flèche Wallonne and the Amstel Gold Race.
He turns 40 this year but claims he will return and prove he can win clean.