Lampre team backs Italian sprinter
Current Maillot Vert wearer Alessandro Petacchi has undertaken to co-operate fully with an anti-doping investigation into him, his lawyer saying that he will speak to investigators after the Tour de France finishes on Sunday.
The Lampre – Farnese Vini rider began today’s stage with a two point lead over last year’s green jersey winner, Thor Hushovd and has received the full backing of the squad. It released a statement today, expressing its support for the rider.
“The lawyer Virginio Angelini, as lawyer in charge for the athlete Alessandro Petacchi, wants to clarify the news reported today on the press,” it stated.
“First of all, on the 12 July 2010 (and not before the Tour de France departure, as written in negligent and wrong way) the Procura della Repubblica di Padova invited Mr Petacchi to be available after the end of the French race to answer to questions about the past and irrelevant to the underway season and to the current team of the rider.
With a serene mood, Alessandro Petacchi has already given, via his lawyer, his total availability with the full aim to clarify his condition. He’s sure he’ll be able to prove his complete non-involvement in the event.”
According to today’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, the big sprinter has been accused of the “use of forbidden substances and practices,” specifically the blood booster PFC (Perfluorocarbon) and human serum albumin.
Several present and former riders from the Lampre – Farnese Vini team are the subject of the inquiry, which is centred around clients of the coach Guido Nigrelli and the village of Mariana Mantovana in Northern Italy. Amongst those initially named back in April were the former world champion Alessandro Ballan and past Giro d’Italia victor Damiano Cunego, as well as Francesco Gavazzi, Mauro Santambrogio plus nine others.
The homes of Petacchi and his team-mate Lorenzo Bernucci were searched. Nothing was found in the sprinter’s house, but several banned substances were seized in that of the latter.
The period being scrutinised is 1 January 2008 to July 31, 2009, although some of the investigations go beyond this timeframe. The police of Brescia are also involved in the investigation, which includes athletes from other sports.
Petacchi has taken six stages in the Tour de France, but lost out on the chance to add to that tally when he underwent a ban for the stimulant salbutamol, missing the 2007 and 2008 Tours. The Court of Arbitration for Sport accepted that the positive test likely occurred through the over-zealous use of his asthma inhaler.
He has already won the points jersey in the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España, netting a combined total of 40 stage wins in the two events.Petacchi took stages one and four of this year’s Tour.