Jonathan Vaughters has apologised to the riders and employees of the EF Training-EasyPost workforce, taking accountability for hiring Andrea Piccolo, who was accused of transporting human development hormone (hGH) as he returned to Italy from Colombia.
EF Training-EasyPost instantly sacked Piccolo when the accusations have been confirmed and made their choice public. The information was a shock to the biking world after years of only a few doping scandals, and it despatched shockwaves by way of the American-registered WorldTour workforce that prides themselves on their stand towards doping.
The EF Training-EasyPost workforce sponsors seem to have maintained their assist for the workforce however Vaughters wished to take accountability for hiring Piccolo in 2022 and giving him a second likelihood this spring when he was caught utilizing the non-authorised sleeping remedy clonazepam.
“I’m the one who gave him the prospect, who introduced him into the workforce, and I apologise to you for that since you are actually going to get requested questions on him and it is one thing you have to cope with,” David Walsh of the Occasions reported Vaughters as saying to his riders on the eve of the Tour de France Grand Depart.
Vaughters confirmed all the small print and feedback of the Occasions article to Cyclingnews on Sunday in Bologna.
Vaughters advised his riders and employees to share their ideas on Piccolo and the impression of his actions on the workforce. There was anger relatively than sympathy for Piccolo after he determined to attempt to convey development hormones from Colombia into Italy with no regard for the workforce’s credibility and integrity.
“When Piccolo got here to the workforce, I befriended him as a result of he was Italian like me and tried to assist him. Now I see him as a dickhead,” the Occasions reported Alberto Bettiol as saying of his fellow Italian.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
Head Sports activities Director Charly Wegelius highlighted the broader injury Piccolo’s motion triggered.
“What makes me indignant is that he may do that. I spend 150 days a yr away from my household, working with you guys since you are doing issues in the suitable means. In case you weren’t, I would not be right here,” Wegelius apparently mentioned to his riders.
“And what actually hacks me off is that individuals will see what Piccolo has executed and make accusations towards Jonathan. I do know what Jonathan and this workforce stand for, and this is the reason this hurts.”
Vaughters doped throughout his profession within the 90s however has since taken a outstanding function in cleansing up the game and guaranteeing his riders don’t want or wish to dope. He performed a strategic function within the downfall of Lance Armstrong however labored laborious to run a clear workforce. He has usually employed riders and employees who’ve confessed to doping and promised to assist struggle the issue.
“The riders of at this time do not deserve the burden of our era,” Vaughters mentioned.
“The factor that kills me essentially the most isn’t the hatred I’ll obtain, ‘Ah, he is only a hypocrite when he says biking’s cleaned up.’ I’m nearly inoculated to that. What makes me unhappy is that the youngsters of at this time do not deserve any of that. They’re good youngsters who for essentially the most half are racing clear and the disappointment of this case is that it may reignite the doubt, the suspicion, the cynicism.”
EF Training-EasyPost are focusing on stage victories on the 2024 Tour de France with Bettiol, Richard Carapaz, Neilson Powless and Ben Healy. Carapaz was capable of be part of Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaad and Remco Evenepoel after the steep San Luca climb on stage 2 and is on equal time as Pogacar.
Piccolo has gone to floor as he awaits the Italian police and Italian anti-doping authorities to research his case. He dangers felony expenses for importing human development hormone and a potential four-year ban from the game.
He appeared conscious of the injury he had created in a message despatched to Vaughters.
“Jonathan, I communicate to you sincerely as a result of I’ve already misplaced every little thing and I’m conscious of this … I introduced 4 medicines from Colombia that I don’t wish to title, I wish to take my accountability for this. They discovered them and detained me. They confiscated them on the airport.
“They examined me and nothing got here of that however it seems that they discovered a drugs that can not be introduced in. I apologise for this. Forgive me.”
Piccolo received a bronze medal within the junior time trial world championships in 2018 after which the celebrated Giro della Lunigiana stage race. He turned skilled with Astana at age 19 however by no means raced with them and returned to the Italian under-23 ranks after a tough few months. He joined Gazprom however then the workforce folded, however he saved his skilled profession alive with a spell at Gianni Savio’s Drone Hopper workforce.
EF Training-EasyPost signed Piccolo in August 2022, hanging a cope with Piccolo’s agent Giuseppe Acquadro, who represents quite a few different riders, together with Egan Bernal and Carapaz.
“Andrea had a VO2 Max of 97. I used to be blown away by it. I had by no means seen something like that. VO2 Max does not imply every little thing in biking however it does give a sign of what is there,” Vaughters mentioned to the Occasions.
Piccolo appeared to commute between Colombia and Italy between racing blocks this season. Little did he know that after EF Training-EasyPost reported his sleeping remedy case to the UCI, the ITA anti-doping company and anti-doping police in Italy started to trace his actions.
On Piccolo’s return from Colombia earlier than the Italian nationwide championships in mid-June, Italian customs police have been ready for Piccolo at Milan airport. His profession resulted in a break up second because the hGH was found.
