Mauro Santambrogio's Doping Poz: the (Alleged!) Perp Weighs In

When Riccardo Ricco's Got the High Ground, You Know You're !@#ed: Yap, yap, another day, another Vini Fantini doping poz, but what's *really* been impressive has been the immediate and total rider condemnation of Giro d'Italia stage phenom Mauro Santambrogio in the twit-sphere. Big disappointment of the day: the Cav-whacked Elia Viviani, who after a so-close-but-yet-so-far run at the Giro finally bagged his first sprint of the season at the Dauphine only to be grossly overshadowed by the latest moron. By far the best rider reaction of the day: ex-racer/aspiring bartender near-deadly-doping-dumb!@# Riccardo "the Cobra" Ricco', who delightedly suggested that all these guys he personally *knows* were stoked to the gills and were going all moralist today ought to please examine their own consciences. But if they're not benefiting from doping *now*, it's not fair they're getting beaten, is it? Keep this up Ricco' you weasel, and I may actually end up loving you almost as much as I do that other unrepentant hater-o-hypocrites Vinokourov! Naaaaahhhhhh....

What, Me Worry?: still, it's only fair to make sure poor ol' Santambrogio has his say, which he certainly did: "I can only say I'm in disbelief that this happened." Hey, don't feel bad Mauro, me too--I figured Danilo Di Luca taught you how to do that !@#$ *right*! Oh, wait...

Talkin' 'Bout (His) Generation: in happy news, the spawn of peerless (if, y'know, imperfect in his past) sprinter Erik Zabel, Rabobank protege Rick Zabel--already a frighteningly good fastman at the tender age of 19--has scored a sweet pro gig with Cadel Evans' BMC. Still, the boy is modest, looking forward to learning from pretty well the entire roster of high-caliber idols and hoping to be a nice little helpmate for the team. I doubt you got much to worry about Rick--and it's good to see a Zabel back on the tarmac!

Those Were the Days: and, before Mauro demands his B-sample, slinks off into the sunset, kisses a buncha babies for a coupla years and returns as a rabid anti-doping advocate and weepy penitent for the peloton youngsters, here's his Stage 14 win at the Giro: Damn, Nibali, I guess you shoulda kept it for yourself!