May 22/02 8:19 am - Giro Stage 10, Simoni positive for cocaine

Posted by Editoress on 05/22/02
 

Giro D'Italia

Stage 10: Maddaloni to Benevento, 118 kms
1. Robbie McEwen (AUS) Lotto 2.57.24
2. Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) Coast s.t
3. Giovanni Lombardi (ITA) Acqua & Sapone s.t
4. Mykhaylo Khalilov (UKR) Selle s.t
5. Massimo Strazzer (ITA) Phonak s.t
6. Cristian Moreni (ITA) Alessio s.t
7. Mariano Piccoli (ITA) Lampre s.t
8. Uros Murn (SLO) Formaggi s.t
9. Yaroslav Popovich (UKR) Landbouwkrediet s.t
10.Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner s.t
11.Denis Lunghi (ITA) Colpack s.t
12.Michael Boogerd (HOL) Rabobank s.t
13.Dario Frigo (ITA) Tacconi s.t
14.Grischa Niermann (GER) Rabobank s.t
15.Eddy Mazzoleni (ITA) Tacconi s.t
16.Paolo Lanfranchi (ITA) Alexia s.t
17.Andrea Noe (ITA) Mapei s.t
18.Georg Totschng (AUS) Gerolsteiner s.t
19.Francesco Casagrande (ITA) Fassa s.t
20.Gilberto Simoni (ITA) Saeco s.t.

GC
1 Jens Heppner (GER) Telekom 48.49.48
2 Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) Landbouwkrediet at 3.50
3 Eddy Mazzoleni (ITA) Tacconi at 3.57
4 Francesco Casagrande (ITA) Fassa Bortolo at 4.08
5 Angel Vicioso Arcos (SPA) Kelme at 4.09
6 Paolo Savoldelli (ITA) Alexia at 4.27
7 Gilberto Simoni (ITA) Saeco at 4.29
8 Wladimir Belli (ITA) Fassa Bortolo at 4.39
9 Pietro Caucchioli (ITA) Alessio at 4.41
10 Juan Carlos Dominguez (SPA) Phonak at 4.43
11 Fernando Escartin (SPA) Coast at 4.44
12 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Team CSC Tiscali at 4.46
13 Cadel Evans (AUS) Mapei at 4.47
14 Aitor Gonzalez (SPA) Kelme at 4.49
15 Davide Rebellin (ITA) Gerolsteiner at 4.52
16 Dario Frigo (ITA) Tacconi at 5.02
17 Gianni Faresin (ITA) Gerolsteiner at 5.05
18 Michael Boogerd (HOL) Rabobank at 5.08
19 Rik Verbrugghe (BEL) Lotto-Adecco at 5.10
20 Kurt Van De Wouwer (BEL) Lotto-Adecco at 5.17

Simoni will continue to race at Giro
courtesy Infocyclismo

Italian Gilberto Simoni will continue to race in the Giro despite testing positive for cocaine, announced the UCI. The test was taken out of competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on April 24 before the start of the Giro del Trentino and Simoni blamed the presence of cocaine on a local anaesthetic he was given on a trip to the dentist. The UCI said that because the test was not administered during the Giro and that Simoni could continue whatever the result of the test on his B sample. Simoni's Saeco team said they were notified of the positive test result in a letter from the UCI on Tuesday evening and said they were convinced of his innocence.

After the stage, the Saeco team distributed photocopies of a signed note from dentist Dr Bruno Grosselli, a dental specialist from the town of Torbole sul Garda. The note, dated April 24, read: "The patient Gilberto Simoni today underwent urgent orthodontic treatment with the local anaesthetic containing Carbocaine two percent with adrenaline. "Having this document we can see that things are clear. I'm more optimistic. This could be demonstration that it's an accident," said Corti. Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc said on Wednesday that Saeco may be banned from the Tour if Simoni is suspended for doping by the UCI as they had only been admitted to allow the Italian to take part.

But Simoni still hopes to avoid a ban. "I hope people believe I was in good faith. You can't use it to go well on a bike," he said. "There's no reason why not to carry on. I haven't done anything wrong. "I want to win the Giro. It can all be explained. I don't take drugs".