It seems that the LA Confidential scandal is overshadowing something even more serious - a doping scandal with some actualy proof?
From Eurosport (I'm not going to be pretentious and post it in French...)
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Recorded telephone conversations most likely relating the use of EPO by prominent Italian riders of the Saeco, Domina Vacanze, and Fassa Bortolo teams have been leaked to French newspaper Le Monde. The evidence, which most notably points the finger at Eddy Mazzoleni, room-mate of recent Giro winner Damiano Cunego.
Among the riders indicted at the end of last month in what Italian police have labeled "Operation Oil for Drugs" are Mazzoleni, and Saeco team-mates Danilo Di Luca and Alessandro Spezialetti.
At the heart of the investigation is Carlo Santuccione, who presents himself as a "simple family doctor," but who's known inside the peloton as "Ali the Chemist" for his dubious reputation.
Santuccione has been charged with "prescribing and adminstering performance-enhancing drugs outside of any therapeutic context and of having given advice on how to take the medication with the sole purpose of avoiding that the substances be identified in an eventual doping test."
"IF NOT FOR THE GIRO, THEN FOR THE TOUR"
In a transcript of a hidden microphone conversation in Santuccione's office published in Wednesday's edition of Le Monde, Mazzoleni expressed worry to the doctor last April 27:
"I spoke with Danilo [Di Luca] because for Sunday, I've made 4,000 units in subcutaneous... and I'm riding Saturday... Saturday, there won't be any problems?," Mazzoleni says on the tape.
"It's most probably Erythropoietin [EPO] precribed by Santuccione," an investigator tells Le Monde.
The rider then talks about trying to obtain a new kind of EPO available only in the United States.
"We should maybe bring it in through England or Spain, tomorrow my girlfriend's coming up, and then there's the accountant, we should be able to do it," Mazzoleni tells Santuccione before adding "Above all, if you're not successful for the Giro, then for the Tour [de France]... "
NO DECISION FROM THE TOUR
Other riders implicated in the scandal include Fassa Bortolo sprint king Alessandro Petacchi's team-mate Fabio Sacchi and two team-mates of 2002 world champion Mario Cipollini.
Domina Vacanze have suspended Mario Scirea and Alessandro Galletti. Calls intercepted on Galletti's cellphone have enabled authorities to uncover a supply network of blood transfusion bags.
Saeco and Fassa Bortolo have so far taken no measure against their indicted riders.
Organisers of the Tour de France, reached by eurosport.com on Wednesday said no decision had been taken so far on an eventual suspension of the three Italian teams involved in the scandal.
Earlier this year, the Tour excluded Kelme following the doping revelations of former rider Jesus Manzano while French team Cofidis is back in the peloton after a hiatus due to a major drugs scandal in France.