Cycling: You should learn from the past. That's exactly what the organizers of the Giro d'Italia are trying to do. In 2011, Alberto Contador won the Tour of Italy. The UCI then banned the Spaniard – retrospectively. The same could happen this season in the person of Chris Froome (Sky). Because the Brit has his start at Giro d'Italia 2018 announced. So that another Giro winner does not have to be corrected afterwards, Mauro Vegni, the director of the tour, is now demanding a guarantee from the UCI.
Everyone is waiting for a decision on the Froome case
Mauro Vegni was proud when he announced at the Giro d'Italia course presentation in November that Chris Froome will be at the start in 2018. The Giro organization is said to be transferring around two million euros to Sky and Chris Froome for participation. Mauro Vegni's mood may have changed slightly since it was announced in December that the British driver had made a conspicuous test during the Vuelta a Espana. Nothing has happened since then. The whole cycling world is waiting for his defense. However, this must not be allowed to drag on until the start of the Tour of Italy, not only in the opinion of Mauro Vegni.
Mauro Vegni:
"In the Froome case, we await the next steps from the UCI."
BREAKING - Mauro Vegni to Ansa: "We want a certification from UCI that states that Froome could run Giro d'Italia. They must tell us that the rider can ride it. We won't accept a Contador-bis case or trials after Giro"
- La Flamme Rouge (@ laflammerouge16) 31 January 2018
Vegni: "We cannot accept that"
Mauro Vegni became clear on the subject of Chris Froome on Wednesday to the Italian news agency ansa.it. The Italian expects the UCI to provide clarity before the start of the Tour of Italy. Under no circumstances does he want a repeat of the scenario from 2011. At that time, Alberto Contador won the Giro d'Italia with ease. Everyone already knew that the Spaniard could potentially be banned after the fact because of the clenbuterol affair. This happened and the Giro winner was suddenly called Michele Scarponi. For the organizers of the first Grand Tour of the season, of course, an unpleasant situation, which one does not want to experience again in 2018.
Mauro Vegni:
“We want an official certificate from the UCI that allows the rider to start in the Giro d'Italia. They're going to have to tell us if he's going to be suspended or if he's allowed to ride. We cannot accept a repeat of the Contador case or a post-race trial.”
2011 | Giro de Italia 🇮🇹
🏆 Alberto CONTADOR (Saxo Bank-Sungard) pic.twitter.com/JHLrEq1Wuv
— EntreCunetas (@EntreCunetas) 10 December 2017