Ricardo Riccò Ready For His Comeback
He attacked up the Col d`Aubisque in the 2008 Tour. It seemed too good to be true - a young and charismatic star emerging from a new generation of riders who seemed to be more inclined to break free from the doping practices of their elders...

The Italian rider Ricardo Riccò – also known as "The Cobra" – has said that he deserves a “second chance” after completing his 2 year ban for using CERA-EPO during the 2008 Tour de France. Ricco says in an interview for ProCycling magazine that he is confident that he can once again compete drug-free against the top riders in the biggest races.

Many cycling fans felt particularly angry towards the young Italian rider who they had cheered on as he spectacularly crushed his rivals when he attacked up the Col d`Aubisque in the 2008 Tour. It seemed too good to be true - a young and charismatic star emerging from a new generation of riders who seemed to be more inclined to break free from the doping practices of their elders.

And, of course, in the end it really was too good to be true. Ricco might have been better to have made the win look a little more difficult than it was, given that he himself knew that he was using banned products. Perhaps it was the fact that riders using CERA believed it to be undetectable to the anti-doping test that made Ricco flaunt his chemically-enhanced power so confidently.

2008 Tour de France Stage 10: Riccardo Ricco looks a bit shell shocked after taking the grimpeur's Maillot Blanc à Pois Rouges and coming back to the stage for the Young Gun's maillot blanc... Maybe he wasn't; perhaps it was knowing he arrived with the distinction with a chemists help and the weight of guilt.   Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Many were also angered by Riccò's unrepentant stance about his use of CERA. Indeed, in interviews after he was caught, he blamed everyone but himself and refused to take any responsibility for his actions.

In a recent poll on popular American cycling website Euro Peloton, Ricco came second to Alexander Vinokourov – the question asked was “If you could eliminate one rider from professional cycling, who would it be?”

The results were:
Alexander Vinokorouv (42%)
Riccardo Ricco (14%)
Michael Rasmussen (11%)
Stefan Schumacher (11%)
Danilo Di Luca (10%)
Tom Boonen (3%)
Thomas Dekker (2%)
Ivan Basso (2%)

However, Ricco appears to be finally ready to admit to feeling some guilt about being caught, and in particular spoke about his reaction to being arrested by the police at the 2008 Tour. "It really shocks you. And humiliates you. At first you can barely look people in the eye. You gradually inch back towards normal life, but it’s horrible at first."

Ricco will be riding for the Ceramica-Flamina team next year, and is hoping that his team gets a wildcard invitation to the San Remo classic on March 20th. Riccò's ban will end on March 18th.

"It’s not easy, having that as your first race but, if not there, I think that I can be competitive again after 10 or 15 races," the 26-year old explained. "Before San Remo itself I’ll simulate a short stage race. I’ll go to altitude for the first half of March, probably to Spain or somewhere else warm. Here (in Italy), on our mountains, you can’t because there are six metres of snow. Then I’ll do my utmost to be competitive straight away."

He was ready to acknowledge that some fans may find it difficult to welcome him back to the peloton, but seems optimistic that he can eventually be fully accepted once again. "I know it’ll be difficult but I’m confident," he said. "The results of the tests that I’ve done on my bike have been good. Let’s see when I come back. In the main, I’ll concentrate on what I have to do on the road. That’s what counts really. If I start winning again, people won’t even remember what happened to me – the same thing that happened to lots of other riders.”

2008 Tour de France: Riccardo Ricco on the attack Sadly too good to be true. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

The Ceramica Flaminia team is registered in the UCI Professional Continental division – and therefore on the UCI’s biological passport programme. With the current ban for doping set at 2 years, young riders such as Ricco who used banned products are able to return to the peloton, and, if their results are decent, they can look forward to good salaries and a few good years back in the pro peloton. Only the test of time - and the test for banned substances - will truly reveal whether Ricardo Ricco has learnt any lessons from his recent transgressions.

But we don't think it will be so easily forgotten by the fans as Riccardo thinks. There may be one other person who may feel cheated by Riccò's enhanced performances in 2008 besides the fans - Silence/Lotto's Jurgen Van Den Broek who finished second in the U23 rankings at the 2008 Giro d'Italia to Ricco.

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