Reminds me of Dario Frigo, who said that his doping arsenal during the
Giro was
only to give him moral strength because of the possibility of using it
if he really
needed to. On the other hand, Frigo's statement was so outrageously
stupid, that
it must have been true.

-ilan

On May 8, 5:07 pm, "
wrote:
Cycling champ Ivan Basso denies dopinghttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070508/ap_on_sp_ot/cyc_basso_doping

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...y07/may08news2

"Yes, I am Birillo. It was me that suggested to be called this way,"
said the former Discovery Channel rider,

1. The code name 'Birillo' that appeared on the June 27, 2006, Guardia
Civil dossier. ... Basso had historically denied Birillo as being the
name of his dog,

2. Two telephone recordings from May 13 and 14 made by DS Ignacio
Labarta to Fuentes. "Birillo had arrived with Simoni at sixteen
seconds," ..."A certain Ivan Basso won." Basso was now first overall
with José Enrique Gutierrez (Phonak) second. "Friend, you have... a
first and a second."

4. An agenda with a schedule of blood extractions and transfusions
since 2004. In the agenda the pseudonyms 'Birillo' and '2' are used.

5. Payments in 2004 of around €35,000 and another €6000 for the
freezing the blood (or "gastos de Siberia"),

6. Guardia Civil intercepted messages from Basso to Fuentes after the
2006 Giro.

7. The analyses of blood, which could have been done in November 2005
in Madrid, with haematologist Merino Batres, a collaborator of
Fuentes. The Spanish Guardia Civil suspect that the cyclist visited
Madrid at least three times but he had always denied being there.

--------------------

Gianni Bugno : "My valuation of Basso remains unchanged, and it
clearly confirms that it is the cyclists who always pay the price,"

Most of the voices out of Italy showed support for Basso and promised
help for his future. "It is important not to leave Ivan alone now. He
is a good guy and not a rascal," said Italian national coach Franco
Ballerini. "Basso has accepted his responsibility,.."

Angelo Zomegnan, also praised Basso, while considering the effect on
his race. "Ivan did a brave thing..."