Di Luca's future uncertain

It is clear where Danilo Di Luca won't be riding in 2008, but it is not at all clear which jersey he will be wearing. "It is definite that I won't be wearing the Liquigas jersey next season," he said in an interview with Sportensverden.dk. "I have received an offer from Bjarne Riis and Team CSC, but I don't know yet where I'll be riding next year."

But that is not so, according to CSC spokesman Brian Nygaard, who told Cyclingnews, "I can definitely deny that we have made an offer to Di Luca and he is not a rider that we have any plans on bringing to the team."

Looking back, the Italian said, "It was really a remarkable season. As far as the results are concerned, with victories both in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Giro d'Italia, it was without doubt the best season in my career. But I also have to admit that the end was a bit tainted, even though I still think that it's incredibly unfair."

Di Luca had to withdraw from the Italian national team only days before the Worlds road race, under pressure from the Stuttgart organisers, who had filed a lawsuit to prevent his participation. He was later suspended for three months for his involvement in the "Oil for Drugs" affair. Di Luca had been leading the ProTour rankings until the suspension was announced the middle of October.

"It was really unfair," he continued. "On the grounds of debatable decisions, I lost the chance to represent my country and take part in a world championship race where the course suited me incredibly well. Others were allowed to start, but their situation was different from my own. They weren't exposed to such a crazy show as I had to go through."

Courtesy of Katharina Schulz