Giro d'Italia - Simeoni in Giro protest

Eurosport - Mon, 04 May 21:44:00 2009

Filippo Simeoni handed back the winner's jersey he claimed at last year's Italian national championship in protest at his Ceramica Flaminia team being left out of this month's Giro d'Italia.

CYCLING Filippo Simeoni Ceramica-Flaminia - 0

"It is unacceptable that the Italian champion cannot compete in the biggest event in his country," the 37-year-old told reporters.

His team were not deemed strong enough to invite to the Giro and Simeoni, who fell out with Lance Armstrong several years ago, has bemoaned the American's first appearance in this year's race.

"In Italy, certain newspapers see him as a messiah," he said.

Organisers of the Giro, which starts in Venice on Saturday, said Simeoni's actions were a publicity stunt.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 11 of 11

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. This stinks...LA at work (again)...Dare to speak out­ and this is what happens...The Italian Champ's team­ is always given a ticket to ride the Giro. Always has­ done, always will, apart from 2009...mmmmmm, wonder why­ ??

    From johnpaulbaxter, on Tue 5 May 7:20PM

  2. koyoshi k: Cocaine is not a performance enhancing drug,­ therefore none of WADA's business, it's up to­ the police, the team and the UCI to deal with it

    From Reefgirl, on Tue 5 May 6:07PM

  3. What is it with Italian's and dummy spitting when­ they can't get their own way? First Ferrari and now­ Simeoni, When will they learn that throwing toys out of­ the pram like a demented toddler having a paddy is not­ the best way to win friends and influence people

    From Reefgirl, on Tue 5 May 6:00PM

  4. The glaring mistake is Xacobeo Galicia from Spain­ included instead of Ceramica Flaminia???? Are you­ kidding, without looking can anyone name a single rider­ from this squad? How does a team like that get in?­ Payoff?

    From nordictrecker, on Tue 5 May 2:37PM

  5. reading the post there about the fuji servetto team­ being allowed bk even tho they have doping past, i dont­ really understand the difference here than confidis­ being allowede back year after year to the tour de­ france even tho near enough every year at least one of­ there team gets caught doping so i think personally­ half the invites are political and the other half is­ just because those teams have bigger names in there­ squads so uci think that if they dont invite that team­ then they are not gonna get the coverage, for e.g. Tom­ boonen was caught with cocain in his urine sample now­ if that was anyone else they would of banned him, dont­ get me wrong i htink tom is a great sprinter but i­ think it is wrong, the same as when astana was banned­ for a year because of its doping backround, nothing­ seemed to be done about confidis, so i think he should­ just put up and shut up to be honest even tho he is the­ national champion and i think he has a right to be­ there for the biggest race in italy!

    From koyoshi k, on Tue 5 May 1:00PM

  6. He and his team should ride (i'm unsure this has­ anything to do with Armstrong, apart from the­ organisers wanting avoid any confrontation between the­ two? Lance would surely not evoke nationalistic­ sentiments against himself from the tifosi). He is­ national chapion, the team abides by all UCI­ anti-doping protocols, what more do they want? This is­ especially ridiculous when Fuji Servetto, aka Saunier­ Duval have been invited. Another example of cyclings­ confusing attitude and hypocrisy, the UCI need to show­ some leadership and make a statement for doping free­ cycling and force their participation, and also to­ alleviate concerns that a pro-armstrong bias exists­ that effects the chances of riders and persons not seen­ as friendly or acceptable.

    From demi162, on Tue 5 May 11:02AM

  7. Simeoni went public on doping and lance did not like­ that.

    From Denis, on Tue 5 May 9:59AM

  8. I do believe that "the loud mouth from Texas­ " has resided in France ,speaks French and gets­ along well with his neighbors.The sad reality is that­ this situation is a bureaucratic dispute not one of a­ cultural divide.The cycling world has become consumed­ with petty gripes and specious arguments.What does­ lance Armstrong have to do with Simeoni and his team­ being excluded from the Giro?

    From sis a fus, on Tue 5 May 4:16AM

  9. Cycling is what have you done for me lately just like­ any other sport and when your best rider is Simeoni you­ are not going to do much for anyone.

    From , on Tue 5 May 2:42AM

  10. @#$%

    From Lee K, on Tue 5 May 1:43AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    without knowing the background,which none of us ever­ will, I feel Simeoni has handed Armstrong the biggest­ slap-in-the-face,yet. I salute him for his courage!­ Most of us---the world-wide tifossi----still have­ doubts about the loud-mouth from Texas,and his­ Anti-French stance. I go to France,and I try to speak,­ as I say, "La Francais de l'ecole et la­ Francaise de la peleton " Ihave always been­ received well,because I tried to integrate,and that is­ appreciated in France. Listening,Lance? I doubt it.

    From limsharp, on Mon 4 May 11:36PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account