The Giro d’Italia race director has called for a swift conclusion to Chris Froome’s anti‑doping case, claiming it is taking too long for cycling’s governing body to reach a verdict.
Mauro Vegni was speaking in Jerusalem before the race begins on Friday. He claimed he had no regrets about inviting the four‑times Tour de France winner to compete.
“I believe that Chris is a great rider and a great champion,” he said. “The actual issue is the timing of justice, it takes too long and this doesn’t allow any rider to race their best and doesn’t allow the organisation to deliver the event in a serene manner.”
Froome is appealing against the adverse finding of a test last year at the Vuelta a Españawhere a urine sample indicated twice the allowed level of the asthma drug salbutamol in his system. He has continued to compete even with the case ongoing.
In February 2012, the Spanish rider Alberto Contador was handed a backdated suspension after he tested positive for clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour de France. He went on to win the 2011 Giro d’Italia and this was later stripped from the record books. But Vegni has been assured that should Froome win the race and later face a suspension the result would stand. The subtle difference is that Contador tested positive for a banned substance, while Froome’s failed test indicates the presence of too high a quantity of a specified substance.
“This is not going to be re-attributed to anyone,” Vegni said, “We very clearly said to the UCI we would not accept a secondary vicissitude. For us, if Froome wins and is later disqualified that will be enforced from the day of the sanction and not before because how can you let a rider race and then decide that he shouldn’t have raced?
“This is not something we decide. It is the UCI. It wouldn’t be correct for the fans, nor the rider, nor the organiser. This sort of thing should not be happening any more. We do hope that this issue will finally get to a full stop.”
