Further revelations in Voet's upcoming book include the allegation that during the World Championships in the Sicilian town of Agrigento in 1994, Luc Leblanc was given corticoids along with Richard Virenque. Luc Leblanc, was riding for the Festina that year and won the World's road race. Virenque came third. Voet alleges that Virenque was on EPO and together with Leblanc he also took corticoids.
Virenque
According to judicial sources, Richard Virenque has been accused of taking two products provided by Sainz before Milan-San Remo. He was given a drug called céphyl, a sort of aspirin, designed to lower his hematocrit level. He was also allegedly given another product which, to all you cyclists, is known "the poison".
The Giro
There is now speculation about what will happen in the Giro which starts today. Will we see a repeat of last year's police raids in the Tour de France. A special squad in Bologna has been investigating doping in sport for several months now. The Italian Government has agreed to follow the French method of fighting the drugs problem established by Marie-George Buffet. She wants a common fight across Europe involving the police, courts and sport's officials.
Stéphane Corlay quits
French rider Stéphane Corlay has announced he will quit racing. He said: "I am quitting because I am sick of cycling. I have tried to the best of my ability. The one fact that is known about me is that I know Bernard Sainz."
The 25-year old Breton who is a semi-professional was questioned by the Paris police last Tuesday over his relations with Sainz (Dr. Mabuse). The winner of the 1998 Tour of Brittany said: "I am searching for another job. There is too much hypocracy in cycling."
The manager of the club Floch-Mantes, Jean Floch said: "In 1998, he saw Sainz because he had tendinitis. Sainz approached him. Since then they have remained in contact. What they did together I am not exactly sure about."
The cyclists are the black sheep - Pantani
Marco Pantani, 1998 Tour and Giro winner has spoken to L'Equipe on Friday and declared that the "the cyclists are the black sheep of sport."
He continued: "We are living under tension, and it is unsupportable because we no longer know what is legal or illegal. It is simple, me, I take nothing along with me in my bag. The customs, the magistrates, the politicians are abusing their powers. They would be better serving the community elsewhere - like working with the youth." This was in reference to the need to stop drugs trafficking.
Pantani also said he did not want to ride in this year's Tour but said it was because the parcours gave him no chance. It did not help the climbers. He said his sponsors could make him take part but if he has a free choice then he will not ride.