Our Giro arrives in Sicily and Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe discuss the race’s rich history of controversy, tactical ruthlessness and downright cheating.
From police raids to outlandish excuses for positive doping tests to Richard’s shocking wine-tasting notes, we cover it all.
We talk about Eddy Merckx’s positive test at Savona in 1969, the day a rampant Marco Pantani was stopped in his tracks and kicked out of the race, the stage that pushed the legendary race director Vincenzo Torriani to the limit, and the internal rivalry between Carerra teammates Roberto Visentini (the defending champion) and Stephen Roche in 1987. Plus there’s arguably the first social media controversy.
Having visited Sicily with the Giro twice in recent years, our coverage of the mafia has been perhaps superficial so we get the lowdown on the organised crime network from an expert, author and historian John Dickie.
The Cycling Podcast is supported by iwoca and Science In Sport.
The title music for Our Giro coverage is called Cozze by Amaraterra.
FURTHER READING
The Eagle of the Canavese by Herbie Sykes
Mountain High by Daniel Friebe
Mountain Higher by Daniel Friebe
The Cannibal by Daniel Friebe
COMING TOMORROW…
In our stage five episode we will look at some of The Supernovas – riders who burned brightly, some of them only briefly, at the Giro but failed to replicate that sort of form at other races. The Prosecco Supernovas, if you will.
WATCH OUR FIRST FILM
OUR SPONSORS
Click Here to Listen the Podcast from The Cycling Podcast…