that is t he biggest bull**** i have heard. In a lot of­ countries doping is not legal. What they should do is­ to kick all dopers out of sport. That is the only way­ to teach them......

I've said it before. Life ban 1st offence or a­ complete free for all. 2 year bans do not and will­ never work as a deterrent.
Maybe cycling needs to split­ into two. Dopers (take what you want, as much as you­ want) and Non Dopers(caught once, banned from the Non­ Dopers)and then the caught ones from Non Dopers, still­ get a chance to move in to the Dopers races.

I've come to the conclusion that I have two­ options.

1) I can believe that there is some level of­ doping going on in the professional peloton, and decry­ the unfairness of it. This would invalidate EVERY­ result in which any pro rider takes part. Why would I­ bother to watch cycling? OR,

2) I can watch the race­ and not care who is doping because they are all­ complicit. If someone doesn't dope, but has­ knowledge of drug use, they are part of the problem,­ and might as well dope too. I will not be­ self-righteous on the part of "clean" riders.­ They can speak for themselves. If they are not willing­ to clean up their sport, I am not willing either.

I­ will watch cycling for what it is; a perfect athletic­ endeavor that has the unfortunate liability of needing­ human beings.

so, i agree, this does appear to be a random story,­ blown out of proportion and without much support.

but­ you know what? i'm still scared...because­ that's how all the others started too. and so far,­ most of these have turned out the same - we find­ another doper.

ugh....here we go again :(

AndJusticeForAll, i think you are the one that is­ doped!

People don't worry about Menchov. The news­ Eurosport is presenting here is totally wrong. The­ Austria judge has asked Rabobank for their cooperation­ and they will give full cooperation. At the moment they­ don't give any names and have also declared that no­ one is accused of doping. So, first it's not Italiy­ but Austria who is doing this and second no one have­ confirmed that Menchov have to come to court. No news­ story !

i believe that menchov is innocent!! if it wouldn't­ be true i think Italian Fed wouldn't let him win,­ and it is going to happen in Rome!!! everyone has its­ own enemies, menchov too! and they use senseless­ arguments, becaust he is INNOCENT!!!

Of course he was and is doped too. The problem is that­ he would implicate a big number of Italian cyclists if­ the clever Italian Cycling Fed go too far with this one­ which is not very profitable for them so they will­ leave him alone!!
One must understand how little­ Italian Authorities do to catch and incriminatethe the­ very vast number of his own so called professional­ Italian riders.
They were all dopers 20 years ago and­ they are now. Only they cow by using other countries to­ save themselves. They started it so it will be always­ highly suspicious when an Italian rider wins sth !!

Italians are trying different things to get rid of­ Menchov. They even booed their own country man Garzelli­ openly for doing his job. VERY STRANGE the news comes­ out now after they guy defended well in the tough­ stages. They would have kicked him out if they had­ proof. The guy needs his concentration to defend­ himself ( lets assume he is innocent).... accusing him­ now is not fair.

this is not the way to beat Menchov he's the­ stongest man in giro if u want to beat him please at­ least be fair use your legs.

I agree that somebody wanted the news to come out but­ at the moment is not clear who it was so I would not­ jump to conclusions about an italian cospiracy just­ yet. It might have been (it would not be too­ surprising) but hopefully it was somebody else this­ time.

True alexmn85, no definite connections with Gazetto. ­
'
But you'd agree that an organisation­ explicitly decided to contact the media (e.g.­ Eurosport) regarding a desire to speak with Menchov­ regarding Kohl and doping, on the final 2-3 most­ critical days of Menchov's career...
'
The­ probabilities of Menchov being involved are slim (say 1­ in 20 (5%) AND contacted during these crucial few days­ (3 in 365 days of the year (1%)) = 5% x 1% = very­ roughly less than 0.1% chance of this news item­ occurring!!

actually this news wasn't even reported on la­ gazzetta dello sport (which spoils a bit you­ circulation theory). Actually it has nothing to do with­ the giro or italy at all.

You're right. THere are no depths below which the­ press will not stoop.
Cyclecrank co uk

What is the most effective way for the Giro's La­ Gazetto del Sport to boost circulation sales and­ sponsorship licenses?
Have an Italian winner in the­ centenary Giro.
'
What is the best way to reduce­ Menchov's performance?
Pile on the psychological­ pressure with a rumoured doping leak.
'
You could­ not make this up.

Didn't we all expect this? Expect the same @ stage­ 15-18 of the TDF.

A smear campaign? Di Luca, Basso, et al haven't­ (yet) broken Menchov with their legs, so perhaps a well­ timed press leak will? Am i becoming cynical in my old­ age? :-()

Let's just pray that a good Giro does not descend­ into the kind of doping farce we had with Landis in the­ Tour de France.
Cyclecrank co uk

I hope it isn't true. I had Denis down to win this­ before the start.

Surely not .....
What poor timing - deliberate ?