| Just a few days before the end of the Giro | | | | compromise the Spaniard Alejandro Valverde |
| d’ Italia the “Operacion Puerto” doping | | | | from Caisse d'Epargne, one of the most famous |
| scandal is entering a more revealing phase. The | | | | cyclists of the last two years. According to the |
| blood doping scandal started a year ago before | | | | Italian newspaper Il Giornali Valverde was number |
| the 2006 Tour of France with the arrest of | | | | 18 in Dr Fuentes' blood bank. |
| Manolo Saiz and four other people accused of | | | | Most of the cyclists implied in Operación Puerto |
| doping practices which involved more than 200 | | | | have been prohibited to participate in the Big |
| athletes, including up to 107 cyclists. | | | | Races (Giro d’ Italia, Tour of France and |
| Entire teams as Comunidad Valenciana | | | | Vuelta a España) but the experts in the subject |
| (continental) and Liberty Seguros (professional) | | | | assure that part of the “pelotón” that is |
| were dissolved after the scandal but the cycling | | | | riding the Giro d’ Italia is also using |
| starts became suspects. The operacion Puerto | | | | performance enhancers. The recent confession of |
| re-opened the disgrace suffered in 1998 with the | | | | Bjarne Riis, 1996 Tour winner and now owner and |
| “Tour of Shame”. | | | | manager of the CSC team opens the suspicions |
| Some of the professional cyclist related with the | | | | to his team that is currently riding in the Giro. |
| case like Mancebo, Ivan Basso and Vinokourov | | | | Also, three former Telekom riders, Bert Dietz, |
| who were favorites to win the “Ronda | | | | Christian Henn and Udo Boelts admitted this week |
| Francesa” suffered the consequences for | | | | they had taken EPO. |
| their implication when they were enable to take | | | | The sport authorities are determined to follow the |
| part in last year Tour of France. Basso also was | | | | case until the end and as part of it, the WADA |
| booted from the Discovery Channel team and | | | | was approved to access the files associated with |
| admitted his connection with Puerto. | | | | Puerto, which means disciplinary actions will be |
| However, the case is still open and the rumors | | | | taken against cycling scammers. |