Friday 15th May, 2009 13 Doping Menchov wins report 5th stage of Giro names two riders ALPI DI SIUSI, Italy (AP) - Denis Menchov won the fifth stage of FRANKFURT (AP) - The former the Giro d’Italia in a grueling uphill Telekom and T-Mobile cycling finish Wednesday and Lance teams engaged in systematic blood Armstrong lost nearly three min- utes. doping between 1995-2006 and riders Danilo Di Luca crossed second Andreas Kloeden and Matthias and took the overall leader’s pink jer- Kessler used illegal blood transfu- sey from Thomas Lovkvist, who was sions during the 2006 Tour de third. France, according to an independ- Menchov covered the 125-kilome- ent probe. ter (77.68-mile) leg that began in San A three-man commission look- Martino di Castrozza in an unofficial time of 3 hours, 15 minutes, 23 sec- ing into doping presented its 63- onds. page report Wednesday after a two- The stage ended with a lengthy year investigation. The news maga- 25-kilometer (15.5-mile) climb to Alpi zine der Spiegel published the find- di Siusi in the heart of the Dolomite ings last month. range. “The systematic doping under The next several stages go medical control was taken to perfec- through rolling terrain without any serious climbing. The race ends May tion,” said the commission’s chair- 31 in Rome. man, lawyer Hans Joachim The toughest part of the climb Schaefer. came in the final 10 kilometers (6.2 The panel looked into the activi- miles), with the gradient at eight and ties of two Freiburg University nine percent. Clinic doctors who allegedly imple- Armstrong lost contact with the leaders 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from mented a blood doping system for the finish. Three Astana teammates - Team Telekom, later known as T- Janez Brajkovic, Daniel Navarro Mobile and now disbanded. Garcia and Jose Luis Rubiera - The probe was commissioned by stayed with the Texan and helped the Freiburg University. The panel him avoid losing even more time. concluded that the two doctors, Armstrong finished an unofficial Lothar Heinrich and Andreas 2:59 behind Menchov and dropped to 22nd overall, 3:34 behind Di Luca. Schmid, acted without the knowl- “I’m definitely a little tired. It was edge of the university and for their a hard grind,” Armstrong said. “I own benefit. They were fired in knew that we would be behind, and 2007. we tried to limit our losses. I thought The commission interviewed 77 it would be two minutes, but three witnesses, examined receipts, bank minutes is OK. ... Like I said in the statements and other documents beginning, the first half (of the race) is not going to be my half. I have to and had 58,800 blood samples retest- get my condition back and I’m not ed. going to be in the front.” The panel said Kloeden and With two kilometers (1.2 miles) to Kessler received illegal transfusions go, Ivan Basso set the pace in a select of their own blood during the 2006 leader’s group with six other riders - Tour, along with teammate Patrik Astana’s Levi Leipheimer and Chris Sinkewitz. Horner, Di Luca, defending Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre, Russia’s Denis Menchov reacts as he crosses the finish line to Sinkewitz’ former girlfriend Menchov and Lovkvist. win the fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, drove the three in July 2006 from In the end, it was Di Luca and from San Martino di Castrozza to Alpe di Siusi, Wednesday, May Strasbourg, France, to Freiburg and Menchov who battled it out in a 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati) back, the commission’s report said. sprint. Kloeden now rides for Astana the ISD team, joined the breakaway with 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to go. The stage began with a short and has always denied doping. He climb over the Rolle pass, where a on a downhill section, and the seven Stage 6 Thursday covers a 248-kilo- finished second in the 2006 Tour group of six riders broke away after riders gained an advantage of 4 min- meter (154-mile) route from six kilometers (3.7 miles). utes, 32 seconds at one point. Bressanone to Brixen Mayrhofen in after winner Floyd Landis of the Giovanni Visconti, the leader of The breakaway riders were caught Austria. United States was exposed for dop- ing. Astana team officials at the Giro d’Italia were not immediately avail- able for comment. Renault follows Kessler is serving a doping ban Henin, no until July 26 after testing positive for testosterone. plans to Ferrari in F1 Sinkewitz tested positive for testosterone in an out-of-competi- come back tion test before the 2007 Tour de pullout threat France, causing German television to withdraw live coverage of the BRUSSELS (AP) - A year LONDON (AP) - Renault has followed Ferrari in threatening to withdraw from next race. He was banned for one year, after her shock retirement, season’s Formula One world championship half the usual suspension, because Justine Henin still feels because of the budget cap imposed by the he cooperated with German investi- the pain of competitive sport’s governing body. gators and gave details about doping tennis every morning. Renault said Wednesday it is frustrated “I’m broken. If it is in cycling. that FIA adopted the new regulations while The commission said the two not the knee, it is the ignoring alternative plans proposed by the doctors began implementing sys- shoulder,” she said. teams. On the other Like Ferrari a day earlier, Renault said it tematic EPO doping for Team hand, every day will only take part in the 2010 championship if Telekom during a training camp on offers the freedom FIA revokes the new regulations - putting Mallorca in January 1995. Already a to do what she pressure on the ruling body ahead of a meet- year before that, the team used wants, a release ing between all parties at a Heathrow airport human growth hormone, the com- from the relentless hotel on Friday. mission said. pressure that ulti- Justine FIA president Max Mosley is leading the The Freiburg prosecutors are mately drove her Henin FIA’s push to curb costs, with a voluntary 40 conducting their own probe but into retirement at 25 million pound (euro45 million; $60 million) while still ranked budget cap being made available to the teams. spokesman Wolfgang Maier said no No. 1. But big teams fear the rules will effectively riders were involved. Despite the chaotic state of women’s Congo, once a split F1 into two tiers, those that can live with tennis and the impending return of fel- Belgian colony and one of the world’s the cap and enjoy the technical advantages low Belgian Kim Clijsters, the message is worst killing grounds over the past dozen and those that can’t. simple: the 7-time Grand Slam champion years. Ferrari won the constructors’ champi- is happily staying put in retirement with Atrocities continue, with women and onship eight of the last 10 seasons, with no plans of a comeback. children often the main victims. For Renault winning the other two. “It is truly a page that has been once, Henin was an unknown face among “Renault has always considered Formula turned,” Henin said Wednesday on the UNICEF officials on a fact-finding mis- One as the pinnacle of motor sport and the eve of the first anniversary of her sion. perfect stage to demonstrate technical excel- announcement that she was quitting. “It “They didn’t know who I was, so it lence,” Renault F1 team president Bernard was 20 years of my life. Now life is some- had no impact on the contacts I had. That Rey said in a statement. “We remain commit- thing different.” was great, because that was always given ted to the sport. As a new UNICEF goodwill ambassa- in my life. When you are a public figure, “However, we cannot be involved in a dor, she discussed the humanitarian cri- there is always something awkward,” she championship operating with different sets of sis in eastern Congo with European said. rules and, if such rules are put into effect, we will be forced to pull out at the end of this sea- Union Commissioner Louis Michel in his Henin may be little-known in Africa, son.” headquarters overlooking the Belgian but Commissioner Michel knows her Under Mosley’s plan, teams can opt out of capital. face draws more attention in the rest of the budget cap but must adhere to the cur- Her humanitarian work is a strong the world than his ever will. “Her contribution is a great antidote rent regulations. Those teams agreeing to commitment now, but she also throws the cap will be allowed a more powerful herself into projects she never had time against selfishness,” he said. “When Justine Henin is a witness to all this, it is engine and aerodynamic aids, both of which for previously. should considerably boost performance. On Thursday, she will star in the “12 clear she has a much bigger impact on public opinion than I could have.” “Our aim is to reduce costs while main- works of Justine Henin” on Belgian tele- taining the high standards that make vision, where she will be seen training Henin will center her UNICEF work now on vaccination campaigns for chil- Formula One, one of the most prestigious with favorite football team Anderlecht, brands on the market,” Renault F1 team dren. strutting the catwalk and even cooking. managing director Flavio Briatore said.