ACCPI supports Lampre after late night controls

Team Lampre was subjected to anti-doping controls Monday evening that kept some riders awake until 3:30. The Association of Italian professional riders (ACCPI) has followed up on the controls that were issued by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) prosecutor, asking for respect of the riders.

The Italian ProTour team was visited by four testers during its training camp in San Vincenzo (Toscana), which is acceptable for the pre-season but the timing was questionable. Management of the Hotel Riva degli Etruschi confirmed to La Gazzetta dello Sport that the testers arrived after 23:00 while the rides were sleeping in their rooms.

The first rider tested was Giro di Lombardia champion, Damiano Cunego, and following the Italian climber were Alessandro Ballan, Marco Marzano, Patxi Vila and Sylvester Szmyd. The last ones, Marzio Bruseghin and Paolo Tiralongo, returned to their rooms after 3:30.

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, tests have to be carried out between the hours of 7:00 and 22:00. "The controls are fine, but there is all day to do them. It is not normal to be woken in the night during a camp. I was worried because I had to go training the next day," stated Cunego to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

ACCPI President Amedo Colombo backed Cunego and his team's concerns with a press release that was issued yesterday. He noted the off-timing of CONI's testing and called for respect of the riders.

"We need to respect the riders, which is one of the fundamental requirements for an honest sport," stated Colombo. He saw it as an "incursion" on sporting justice.