Riccò reveals he will never race again

Hermy

From cyclingnews.com:

Italian denies blood doping and criticises the world of cycling

Riccardo Riccò is back on his bike but has revealed he will never race again and has denied he was rushed to hospital because of a botched blood transfusion.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport after journalist Luigi Perna tracked him down to his home in Formigine, near Modena, Riccò said his career was over and slammed the world of cycling, saying it makes him sick.
Ricco was rushed to hospital on February 6 after feeling ill over night. The doctor who first treated him is reported to have told police that Ricco’ admitted to transfusing blood that he’d kept in his fridge.
Riccò is still waiting to be questioned by Italian police and his medical records are still being studied by a legal expert but he was sacked by the Vacansoleil team after a rapid internal investigation.
Gazzetta dello Sport published a photograph of him wearing a yellow jersey under a black gillet. He seemed to have put on several kilogrammes but appeared healthy and smiled for the camera.
“I ride my bike just for fun. I started a week ago. I go out when I want, not every day. It’s nice and is relaxing. I talk with friends and stop for a coffee,” Riccò said.
“I’ve no desire to race again. Not at all. I’ve moved on. The cycling world disgusts me, it makes me sick. Everyone in it disgusts me. They wanted me to stop when I made my comeback. Now I will: Riccò has stopped. Leave me alone.”
Riccò claimed he has already been found guilty by the media but denied ever admitting to emergency doctors that he had undergone a blood transfusion.
“I’m waiting to be questioned. I wish it was all over quickly but I think it’ll go on and on. CONI (the Italian Olympic Committee) will ban me and it’ll all be over. That’s what they wanted.”
“But whatever the verdict I won’t race again. You (the media) have already decided the verdict. I haven’t read the papers but I’ve been told that you’ve already put me on trial. But this isn’t a doping case, I didn’t test positive but I’ve already been condemned as guilty.”
“I haven’t seen the police documents but I’ve got my medical records and there’s nothing written on them. It’s all been made up. He (the doctor) says one thing and I say another. But I was almost dead and don’t know what I could have said. Let’s see what the (blood) analysis says. I didn’t say absolutely anything to the doctor.”
Riccò refutes the idea that he should be grateful the Emergency Room doctor in his local hospital in Pavullo that saved his life.
“If I’d stayed in Pavullo, I’d have died,” Riccò responded. “They didn’t understand and luckily I was transferred to Baggiovara. That’s what I’ve been told because I didn’t understand what was going on. Yet they say I talked…”
Gazzetta dello Sport report that Riccò has made a full recovery from his heart and kidney problems and has been told he has not suffered any permanent damage.
However Riccò has no plans to race again, insists he can look himself in the mirror and that he won’t miss cycling. He hopes to work as a barista and have a normal life, away from professional cycling.
“I haven’t got any health problems. I feel good and I’m riding my bike. They’ve told me I’ll make a full recovery and I’m not demoralised. It’s important to be able to live with yourself. I won’t miss cycling,” he said.
“Now I want to work as a barista, I’ve always liked the idea and I’ve already asked around. I want to start work like everybody else. Cycling has been my life until now. I’ve won stages at the Tour and the Giro but there’s more to live than cycling.
“I’ve got more friends outside the sport than people can imagine. I’ve got my family and a son. I’m going to look after them. I’m tired and I don’t like the cycling world any more. It’s better to have a basic job and earn 1000 Euro a month than, there are less things to worry about.”

RobFowl

Bit like me saying I'll never win the Tour......

Hermy

You just haven't made up your mind!;)

JacksonHeightsOwn

one word

w**ker!!

sy

“I’ve no desire to race again. Not at all. I’ve moved on. The cycling world disgusts me, it makes me sick. Everyone in it disgusts me. They wanted me to stop when I made my comeback. Now I will: Riccò has stopped. Leave me alone.”

Will do and good riddence

feck sake lads

yeah but have you ever wondered how much better you could go if you took whatever drug epo for instance.
i reckon all these lads must be on something or other ,i seriously don't think the body is capable of doing these big tours without taking some form of drug.
but i could be wrong it has been known:D.
remember floyd landis when he lost 8 minutes on a stage next day he put 8 minutes into the leading riders on a mountain stage, what the hell was he on and no ill effects ,man i want some of those sweets :D(only joking)

LCRC_BAX

good riddance to the walking Black Pudding Rico.

RobFowl

feck sake lads wrote: »

yeah but have you ever wondered how much better you could go if you took whatever drug epo for instance.
i reckon all these lads must be on something or other ,i seriously don't think the body is capable of doing these big tours without taking some form of drug.

There was research done on this and basically EPO cam make you 10% faster over a 40k tt.
In my case that drops my PB in a 25mile TT from 1.03 to a 57 ........
In other word transforms you, hence the temptation for guys to cheat.........

Hermy

feck sake lads wrote: »

i reckon all these lads must be on something or other ,i seriously don't think the body is capable of doing these big tours without taking some form of drug.

I know you're only half serious but spare a thought for David Moncoutié. He's won the Mountains Classification in the Vuelta the past three years running and I think pretty much everyone accepts that he's clean

feck sake lads

marco pantani was on drugs but even without them he was still the best climber in the world for years. there was always drugs in cycling and every other sport but the cream will always come to the top drugs or no drugs .
ah dont be to hard on the lads we have no idea what goes on in the big cycling teams .easy to condemn.

DirkVoodoo

He says he wants to work as a bartender...

"Riccardo, a cold one from the fridge if you don't mind".

levitronix

Rico i ll have a bottle of AB + please

Hermy

Bloody funny lads.:rolleyes:

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

There was research done on this and basically EPO cam make you 5% faster over a 40k tt.

... it apparently screws up your mental arithmetic capabilities though;)

RobFowl

Beasty wrote: »

... it apparently screws up your mental arithmetic capabilities though;)

Doh !

10 is the new 5 though ......