Italian Davide Rebellin continues to train at his home in Monaco while waiting for the counter-analysis results of his 2008 Olympic blood samples that revealed banned blood booster Erythropoietin (EPO). He finished second to Spain's Samuel Sánchez in the road race on August 9, 2008 in Beijing, but tests results released April 28, 2009 revealed he doped.
"He is training like normal. When I heard from him, he had been out training with our rider Luis Maté," Diquigiovanni Team Manager Gianni Savio told Cyclingnews.
Rebellin and Germany's Stefan Schumacher are two of six athletes who tested positive for third generation EPO, CERA, at the Olympic Games. The other four are non-cyclists, including Bahrain's 1500m gold medallist Rashid Ramzi.
Rebellin requested counter-analysis of the control. The tests were performed two weeks ago, May 28, at France's Châtenay-Malabry laboratory. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has yet to release the results.
"I talked with Selina, his wife, yesterday [Monday - ed.]," said Savio. "His lawyer told her the process is ongoing, therefore we know nothing. I don't understand why there is not already information of the analysis, if it is positive or negative."
Rebellin joined Savio's team from German team Gerolsteiner at the end of 2008, after the Olympics. He won the Flèche Wallonne and two stages of the Vuelta a Andalucía this year.
Cyclingnews was unable to reach Rebellin's lawyer, Federico Cecconi, for comment. Rebellin maintains his innocence.
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