Riccardo Riccò

1.1. Early Cycling Career

Born in Formigine, Italy, Riccò began cycling at the age of 13. His amateur career quickly gained momentum, demonstrating his talent in various disciplines. In 2001, he won the Italian National Junior Cyclocross Championship. He continued his ascent in 2004, securing the Italian National Under-23 Road Race Championship. In 2005, while still an amateur, he competed in the UCI Europe Tour's Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda alongside professionals, winning two stages and the overall classification. These early achievements established him as a rider with significant potential.

1.2. Pre-Professional Hematocrit Controversy

Prior to turning professional, Riccò faced an early challenge regarding his blood values. In 2005, during a post-race test, his hematocrit levels were found to exceed 50%, the accepted upper limit set by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) since 1997. This raised suspicions of doping and jeopardized his professional debut. To address these concerns, Saunier Duval's sportif director, Mauro Gianetti, arranged for Riccò to spend a week at the UCI laboratory in Lausanne, Switzerland, to prove that his high blood values were natural. Exhaustive tests conducted by the UCI confirmed that Riccò's hematocrit level was indeed naturally over 50%, clearing him to turn professional. However, this clearance was later questioned when, in July 2008, it was revealed that Riccò had tested positive for EPO, a hematocrit-boosting drug, following a 2008 Tour de France stage. Fellow professional rider Jérôme Pineau also suggested that Riccò had openly doped even as a junior rider.

2.1. Debut and Early Successes (2006-2007)

Riccò joined the UCI ProTeam Saunier Duval-Prodir in 2006, making his professional debut. In his first year, he participated in the 2006 Tour de France, finishing 98th overall, and notably won the Japan Cup by out-sprinting Ruggero Marzoli.

The 2007 season saw Riccò achieve breakthrough performances. He excelled in the 2007 Tirreno-Adriatico, winning two consecutive stages and securing the points classification, finishing 12th overall. He also finished second overall in the Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali, winning a stage there. Riccò demonstrated his potential in the Ardennes Classics, finishing ninth in the 2007 Amstel Gold Race and sixth in the 2007 La Flèche Wallonne in his first appearance in these prestigious races. He rode the 2007 Giro d'Italia as a domestique for team leader Gilberto Simoni. Despite his support role, Riccò won the challenging 15th stage at Tre Cime di Lavaredo, ahead of his teammate Leonardo Piepoli, marking his first Grand Tour stage victory. He finished an impressive sixth overall and second in the young rider classification, about seven minutes behind eventual winner Danilo Di Luca. In the season finale, the 2007 Giro di Lombardia, he finished second after losing a two-man sprint to Damiano Cunego. His strong performances throughout the year earned him 16th place in the 2007 UCI ProTour individual standings.

2.2. Peak Performance and Grand Tour Achievements (2008)

In 2008, Riccò was designated as the team leader for the 2008 Giro d'Italia. Despite suffering a finger injury from a crash and battling a cold, he delivered an impressive performance in the mountains. He secured two stage victories and won the young rider classification. Riccò engaged in a fierce general classification battle with Alberto Contador, at one point narrowing the gap to just four seconds, ultimately finishing second overall, 1 minute 57 seconds behind Contador. His strong showing in the Giro raised suspicions of doping, with doping expert Michel Audran suggesting that CERA, a third-generation EPO, was in use by some riders during the 2008 Giro, weeks before Riccò's positive test for the same substance at the Tour de France.

Later that year, Riccò competed in the 2008 Tour de France. On July 10, he won stage 6 with a hilltop finish at Super-Besse, marking his first Tour de France stage victory. Three days later, he achieved his second win on stage 9, a mountainous stage through the Pyrenees, by launching a powerful attack about 21 mile ^{(33 km)} from the finish and maintaining his lead. During this period, rumors circulated about abnormalities in his blood levels, though the team and Riccò maintained that his naturally high hematocrit level, attested by a UCI certificate, explained any unusual readings.

2.3. Return to Racing and Subsequent Teams (2010-2011)

After his initial doping ban, Riccò returned to professional cycling in March 2010, signing a two-year contract with the Irish Professional Continental team Ceramica Flaminia. He quickly showed strong form, winning stage 2 and finishing second overall in the Giro del Trentino in April. In July, he won two mountain stages and the overall classification of the Tour of Austria. However, in August 2010, Riccò terminated his contract with Ceramica Flaminia, reportedly because the team was not invited to the Giro d'Italia. He then signed a two-year contract with the Dutch ProTeam Vacansoleil-DCM. He secured his first victory with Vacansoleil by winning the Coppa Sabatini in October. In 2011, he finished seventh in the Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise.

3.1. 2008 Tour de France Doping Offence

On July 17, 2008, during the 2008 Tour de France, Riccò tested positive for Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator (CERA), a banned blood booster and a variant of Erythropoietin. The positive test came from a sample taken after the fourth stage of the race. This made him the third rider to test positive for CERA in that Tour, following Moisés Dueñas and Manuel Beltrán. Riccò was immediately ejected from the Tour, and his team, Saunier Duval-Scott, voluntarily withdrew from the race due to the gravity of the incident, forcing the remaining team members to abandon. The following day, Saunier Duval announced that Riccò had been fired.

Riccò was arrested by French police and spent a night at the police station, describing the experience as "like being in prison." He was indicted on charges of "use of poisonous substances." Initially, he denied the charges, stating that searches of his hotel room only found vitamins. However, prosecutor Antoine Leroy testified that medical supplies, including syringes and equipment for intravenous drips, were found in his room, though unused. It was later revealed that Riccò had attempted to evade doping control officials after stage 4 but was caught in traffic, leading officials to decide he would be tested after every subsequent stage. The detection of CERA was made possible because its manufacturer, Hoffman-La Roche, had secretly collaborated with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to develop a test for the drug.

In the week following his expulsion, Riccò admitted to the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) that he had been taking EPO independently of his team in preparation for the Tour de France. He accepted responsibility for his actions and apologized to his teammates and fans. He told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that the banned doping doctor Carlo Santuccione had supplied him with the new form of EPO.

Following his admission of guilt, Riccò's advisors hoped for a 20-month ban. On October 2, 2008, CONI handed him a two-year ban, which Riccò expressed disappointment with, stating, "I'm very disappointed and bitter. I expected better understanding. But I made a mistake and it's fair that I pay." However, on March 17, 2009, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced the ban to 20 months due to his cooperation, allowing him to resume racing in March 2010.

In addition to the sporting sanctions, Riccò faced criminal prosecution in both Italy and France. He was convicted by a criminal court in Padua and fined 3.04 K EUR. In June 2010, a Toulouse court issued him a two-year suspended prison sentence, which was upheld on appeal in November 2011.

3.2. 2011 Blood Transfusion Incident

On February 6, 2011, Riccò was admitted to a hospital in critical condition, suffering from sepsis and kidney failure. It was alleged that his severe illness was a result of a self-administered autologous blood transfusion using 25-day-old blood. Riccò reportedly admitted to the treating doctor that he had performed the transfusion in the presence of his girlfriend, Vania Rossi. The doctor reported this information to authorities, prompting an investigation by both the police and CONI.

Riccò was discharged from the hospital within two weeks, and his team, Vacansoleil-DCM, promptly sacked him. Although Riccò later denied blood doping, he initially stated that he was finished with professional cycling and intended to train as a barista. However, he later changed his mind, expressing a desire to race again. In October 2011, it was reported that Riccò had confessed to the blood transfusion to CONI, though his lawyer subsequently denied these reports.

3.3. Progression of Sanctions and Lifetime Ban

On April 19, 2012, Italy's National Anti-doping Court (TNA - Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping) imposed a 12-year ban on Riccò from any professional cycling activity, effectively ending his career. Riccò appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but his appeal was dismissed on March 1, 2013, confirming the 12-year suspension.

Further accusations arose on May 1, 2014, when Riccò was reportedly caught by Italian police in a McDonald's car park in Livorno, accused of attempting to purchase EPO and testosterone. Riccò claimed he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time," and his lawyer denied he was there to buy doping products.

In December 2020, the Italian Anti-doping Authority ultimately handed Riccardo Riccò a lifetime ban from professional cycling, solidifying the end of his controversial career.

4.1. Grand Tour Performances

• 2007 Giro d'Italia: 6th Overall, 1st Stage 15
• 2008 Giro d'Italia: 2nd Overall, 1st Young Rider Classification, 1st Stages 2 & 8
• 2008 Tour de France: 1st Stages 6 & 9 (Results voided due to doping)

4.2. Stage Race Victories

• 2005 Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda: Overall, Points, Young Rider Classifications; Stages 2 & 3
• 2006 Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali: Points Classification; Stage 5
• 2007 Tirreno-Adriatico: Points Classification; Stages 3 & 4
• 2007 Tour de San Luis: Stage 4
• 2010 Tour of Austria: Overall; Stages 2 & 4
• 2010 Giro del Trentino: Stage 2 (2nd Overall)
• 2010 Settimana Ciclista Lombarda: Points Classification; Stages 4 & 6 (2nd Overall)

4.3. One-Day Race Victories

• 2006 Japan Cup
• 2007 Giro di Lombardia: 2nd
• 2007 La Flèche Wallonne: 5th
• 2007 Amstel Gold Race: 9th
• 2010 Coppa Sabatini

5.1. Nickname and Comparisons

Riccò was widely known by his nickname, "Cobra," reflecting his aggressive and striking climbing abilities. His performances in mountainous stages frequently led to comparisons with the legendary Italian climber Marco Pantani. Riccò himself acknowledged Pantani as his idol, often making statements and adopting riding techniques, such as dancing on the pedals while gripping the drops of his handlebars, that consciously echoed Pantani's style.

5.2. Personality and Public Image

Riccò was characterized by a confident and often outspoken demeanor. He was known for making bold statements before and after races, and sometimes for delivering critical comments about other riders. Despite this perceived assertiveness, Riccò stated in an interview after the 2008 Giro d'Italia that he often "held back" what he truly wanted to say. His strong personality and direct communication style contributed to his distinctive public image within the sport. Before starting cycling, Riccò practiced karate and held a brown belt.

5.3. Family Life

Riccardo Riccò was in a relationship with Vania Rossi, a former Italian cyclocross champion. Together, they have a son named Alberto. In January 2010, Rossi herself tested positive for CERA, leading Riccò to publicly announce a temporary separation from her. However, the doping charges against Rossi were later withdrawn after her B-sample tested negative.