Liquigas says it has nothing to hide at training camps

The Liquigas has confirmed it will invite journalists to be present at all its training camps during the 2010 season as a way of showing they have nothing to hide and that their riders do not work with external doctors and coaches.

The Italian team has planned several training camps at altitude at Monte Teide in Tenerife and at San Pellegrino in the Italian Dolomites. Five places will be available to the media at the first camp at Monte Teide between February 5-19 and others will be available at later camps as riders prepare for the classics and the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France.

"We want to show everybody how we work at Liquigas-Doimo and get rid of any doubts about our openness and about us not being clean," team manager Roberto Amadio said in a statement issued by the Italian team on Wednesday.

"In the last few years, someone had fun throwing mud at our results, linking our riders with some strange people. That's why during our first get together at the Passo San Pellegrino we invited the media to be present at our training camps: we've nothing to hide and we'll be happy to prove it."

"We think it's an important contribution to helping our sport regain credibility. We've always worked in this direction. We believe the strict discipline we've adopted about our riders not working with external coaches is an important move and not just talk."

Last year, Italian anti-doping campaigner Ivano Fanini alleged in an interview with the La Repubblica newspaper that Liquigas riders Franco Pellizotti and Vincenzo Nibali were seen training with Dr. Ferrari at altitude near St Moritz. Both riders and the Liquigas team vehemently denied the allegations and the riders began legal action against Fanini.