The rumor mill is churning, but La Gazzetta dello Sport normally has the inside line
According to website WielerFlits.nl, Italian news paper la Gazzetta dello Sport has linked Riccardo Riccò (Ceramica Flaminia) to the Quick Step team for a ride in this year’s Vuelta a España. The controversial Italian returned to the peloton this spring following a two-year doping ban for using CERA, the third generation EPO.
Neither the Quick Step team nor Riccò have confirmed the news of a possible mid-season transfer. Riccò hasn’t contested any major races since returning to the peloton this year, but has won stages in the Settimana Lombarda and Giro del Trentino, finishing second overall in the latter behind Alexandre Vinokourov, and placed in front of this year’s Giro d’Italia winner Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Doimo) and fourth place finisher Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli).
Riccò’s Ceramica Flaminia team was denied a start in the Giro d’Italia this year, and would be looking for an opportunity to race a Grand Tour. Patrick Lefevere’s Quick Step team was one of the parties interested in signing Alberto Contador in the off-season, but with the Spaniard rumored to be staying with the Kazakh team, if the rumor is true, they may see the Italian as their answer to diversify the Classics squad.
Other sources also have Riccò rumored to move from his current team, but headed to a different destination. French website Cyclismag has the Italian signing for Astana to replace Contador, who has also been linked to a move to Caisse d’Epargne. The bank will end its sponsorship at the end of the year, with Formula One driver Fernando Alonso rumored to be building a team around Contador. There is speculation that the main sponsor will be Spanish banking group Santander, one of the sponsors of Alonso’s Ferrari team. It has also been reported that Contador will be signing a long-term contract that will see him stay with the Astana team.