Vegni: 'Giro d'Italia can't repeat Contador situation with Froome'
The director of the Giro d'Italia says the race has to avoid a situation where a potential winner races under a cloud of a UCI investigation
The Giro d'Italia is in no mood to have another rider race while under investigation and facing a possible suspension.
Referring to the Chris Froome situation, RCS Sport cycling director Mauro Vegni says that such an incident like that with Alberto Contador in 2011 "must no longer be repeated."
>>> Tony Martin ‘totally angry’ at ‘double standards’ in Chris Froome salbutamol case
Contador, under investigation for a clenbuterol positive anti-doping control at the Tour de France, raced the Giro and won.
That 2011 title was stripped later and given to Michele Scarponi when officials issued Contador a ban.
Froome is due to race the 2018 Giro d'Italia after winning the 2017 Tour de France and Vuelta a España this summer.
"I firmly believe that Contador's was a unique affair, which must no longer be repeated," Vegni told Tutto Bici website.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"Cycling can not afford such a situation: if a cyclist can race, he has the right to do so in full power, to win or lose with certainty. And I believe that in this case, the UCI must assume its responsibilities."
The UCI and Froome are discussing the high 2000 nanograms per millilitre (ng/ml) reading of asthma drug salbutamol from the Vuelta a España. The limit for the drug is 1000.
Froome will have to show there was an error or physiological reason for the high reading to avoid a suspension. The case could rumble on for some time with any UCI ban likely to be followed by an appeal from Froome's camp to the CAS high court of sports.
The case bursts the pink balloons that floated so high just a couple of weeks ago when Vegni announced at the 2018 Giro route presentation that Froome would attend.
"Of course, it's never nice when you have to resort to a courtroom or a research laboratory," Vegni said of Froome's fight. "I think it is right and sacrosanct to maintain a high level of attention to ensure maximum credibility to cycling.
"From our position as one of the largest organisers in the world, I say that it is the timing of the story that leaves me perplexed.
"Perhaps we are simply unlucky, but as soon as we announce with great fanfare the presence of Froome at the next Giro ... boom, the sky falls."
Froome, according to a Cycling Weekly insider, is set to receive around €2 million from the Giro and organiser of the Big Start in Israel for racing the 2018 edition.
Any deal, which Vegni denies, would have been hatched with Team Sky already knowing about Froome's high test for salbutamol.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
Chinese X-Lab vies for global domination as it equips XDS Astana with bikes for the WorldTour
A new partnership sees Astana aboard new bikes with increased funding for 2025
By Joe Baker Published
-
Tech of the week: Van Rysel releases an aero bike (quelle surprise!) plus a superlight carbon crankset from FSA, a long top tube bag from Tailfin and tyre liners from Zefal
The RCR-F aero bike will be ridden by the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team in 2025, but will it create headlines like the RCR?
By Luke Friend Published
-
Chris Froome misses out on Tour de France selection
39-year-old absent from Israel-Premier Tech's eight-rider roster
By Tom Davidson Published
-
A complete history of Ineos Grenadiers kits, from Adidas to Gobik, via Rapha
The British team switch to Gobik in 2024 after two years with Bioracer
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Chris Froome's boss rubbishes claims bike fit is behind lack of results
'He can talk about his bike position until the cows come home - that's still not going to earn him a position on a Grand Tour team' says Israel-Premier Tech team owner Sylvan Adams
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Chris Froome, rim brake evangelist, 'warms to' disc brakes
The Israel-Premier Tech rider, also an investor at Factor Bikes, says that he has "way less problems" with discs these days
By Adam Becket Published
-
Is Chris Froome - in 2023 - a professional cyclist, or an influencer?
The seven-time Grand Tour winner hasn't raced since July, but has taken to being interesting on social media
By Adam Becket Published
-
Chris Froome 'absolutely not' worth multi-million euro salary says his team boss
The four-time Tour de France winner was not selected for this year's Tour de France for performance reasons, Israel-Premier Tech boss Sylvan Adams says
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Chris Froome not selected for Tour de France 2023
38-year-old misses out on 'ultimate goal' as Israel-Premier Tech confirm eight-man squad
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Back to Africa: Chris Froome on going back to his roots, his future and cycling's new generation
He’s come full circle, but is there time for another loop? We talk to the four-time Tour champ about his and African cycling’s future
By Adam Becket Published