Ricco Suffers Kidney Failure After Transfusing His Own Blood

[Flying_Monkey]

Riccò - proof that lifetime bans, a spell in prison and/or psychiatric help for a second offence are definitely the way to go!

Ricco does have very particular issues, one of which is that he just isn't very bright. Unfortunately he's also thoroughly dislikable.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Ricco does have very particular issues, one of which is that he just isn't very bright. Unfortunately he's also thoroughly dislikable.

There are probably many in the peloton who take the same risks. That's the trouble with doping, the top riders in the richest teams have access to the best medical back-up, the best products and the lab conditions to safely administer them. They can take enough of an illegal substance to have an effect on performance while not being detected and not damaging their health in the short term (you know who I'm talking about).

The trouble starts further down the food chain where the lesser lights have to make do and mend with whatever is available just to compete. They are the ones who get caught and mess their bodies and their minds up. It's no coincidence how many ex team-mates of a certain prominent rider (you know who I'm talking about) have tested positive after moving to lesser teams.

 

[Noodley]

Ricco was/is just another rider looking to get famous/get out of a shoot life; he had the technical back-up for a while then lost it and tried to go it alone...

 

[John the Monkey]

Daniel Friebe has a good piece about this on Cyclingnews;

At the same time, though, part of me can't help wondering whether some of them [the other riders] quite liked having Riccò around. He was, after all, the perfect pariah. Was it not - you tell me - easy to demonize a rider with a haematocrit higher than his IQ and blessed with even less in the way of self-awareness? Of course a rider like that would cheat. Of course he wouldn't have cleaned up his act.

 

[rich p]

Christophe Bassons, the former Festina rider, eloquently explained last week that the temptation to dope always arises from a void or insecurity, and it was always clear with Riccò that attention and success were more addictive drugs than anything stored in his freezer. Perhaps more importantly, they were an alternative - his only one - to mediocrity.


I'm not sure that this represents a credible reason to dope. The rest of us manage to struggle through life in a slough of mediocrity. Not being famous is a punishment most of us cope with.

 

[yello]

Not being famous is a punishment most of us cope with.

Speak for yourself. I've never recovered from having my letter to the editor ignored for publication....

I don't think Bassons meant to suggest that everybody felt a need for fame and attention, just that certain personality types do.

Tbh, I didn't realise Rico was either thick or obnoxious. I just remember him being seemingly rocket fuelled. But I reckon there are some clever and amiable dopers out there too. Doping cuts across all boundaries and unites cyclists in a common cause.

 

[John the Monkey]

But I reckon there are some clever and amiable dopers out there too. Doping cuts across all boundaries and unites cyclists in a common cause.

Well, he only intended to dope, but Basso is surely a case in point - he seems popular with fellow riders and a lot of fans. Plenty of folk seemed to be arguing for Valverde duiring his farcical pre-suspension season. Di Luca continues to be popular enough to get a ride when he returns from suspension, for reasons that baffle me.

 

[ColinJ]

Tbh, I didn't realise Rico was either thick or obnoxious.

How about walking out on his girlfriend, the mother of his son, when she failed a doping test?

[quote name = "CyclingNews.com"]"I am disappointed with my girlfriend and there can be no reconciliation until Vania is shown to be innocent of the allegations that were raised," said Riccò, according to Italian website Tuttobiciweb.com.[/quote]
Slightly rich coming from a convicted doper!

 

[oldroadman]

There are probably many in the peloton who take the same risks. That's the trouble with doping, the top riders in the richest teams have access to the best medical back-up, the best products and the lab conditions to safely administer them. They can take enough of an illegal substance to have an effect on performance while not being detected and not damaging their health in the short term (you know who I'm talking about).

The trouble starts further down the food chain where the lesser lights have to make do and mend with whatever is available just to compete. They are the ones who get caught and mess their bodies and their minds up. It's no coincidence how many ex team-mates of a certain prominent rider (you know who I'm talking about) have tested positive after moving to lesser teams.

A fairly sweeping and unfortunate generalisation which unless you can prove facts is speculation. Albeit a fair suspicion, but I think the peloton is cleaner than it's been for a very long time nowadays. Unlikely riders just can't ride away on climbs or pace their leaders whilst appearing to be in no difficulty at all as used to happen.
Ricco, as an example, though, is simply dim and daft (and probably technically inept on his way to self destruction), and I agree with anyone who says that a second offence should be a life ban - these people should not be welcome in the sport.

 

[Padbeat]

Good old Cav, cuts to the chase, as usual ...

I hope he does recover well, but you know I really hope he becomes somebody's bitch in prison.

As condemnation goes, I don't think it comes much more clear-cut than that.

 

[rich p]

Good old Cav, cuts to the chase, as usual ...

As condemnation goes, I don't think it comes much more clear-cut than that.

brilliant!

 

[Keith Oates]

Good old Cav, cuts to the chase, as usual ...

As condemnation goes, I don't think it comes much more clear-cut than that.

Like it

 

[gb155]

Good old Cav, cuts to the chase, as usual ...

As condemnation goes, I don't think it comes much more clear-cut than that.

Lov our boy Cav

 

[GrasB]

Good old Cav, cuts to the chase, as usual ...

As condemnation goes, I don't think it comes much more clear-cut than that.

You know I think Cav needs to stop holding those punches, he'd be much more entertaining if he said exactly what he thought...

 

[HLaB]

Good old Cav, cuts to the chase, as usual ...

As condemnation goes, I don't think it comes much more clear-cut than that.

I've just watched that brilliant I hope he recovers but I also hope he becomes somebody's b1tch in prison