PANTANI is dead :(

Former Tour de France winner Pantani found dead: report
Former Tour de France winner Marco Pantani has been found dead in the Italian seaside resort of Rimini, according to a report on the website of Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

The report quoted local police officials.

The coach of the Italian national cycling team Franco Ballerini was quoted as saying "It's something that is so huge, it doesn't seem true".

The flamboyant 34-year-old Italian had not competed professionally for the past two years due to various inquests by police and authorities into alleged drug-taking.

Pantani, nicknamed 'Il Pirate' (the Pirate) for his wearing of earrings and colourful headbands, sensationally won the Tour of Italy and the Tour de France in 1998.

His last professional team was Mercatone Uno, which he joined in 1997.

Despite his legal wrangles Pantani was one of the most popular riders in the professional peloton.

However after a successful career throughout much of the 1990's Pantani's career hit the skids in the wake of the tough anti-doping laws introduced in Italy after the 1999 Tour of Italy when a police blitz on riders' hotels caused a major scandal.

Pantani was one of the targeted riders during that particular raid.

Tests showed his blood haematocrit levels to be abnormally high - an indicator but not proof that a rider may be using endurance-enhancing drugs.

Last July Pantani, who attempted a comeback at the 2002 Tour of Italy but was forced to pull out on the 16th stage, was admitted to a clinic specialising in nervous disorders, drug addiction and alcoholism.

Sad news...few days ago died too a great spanish rider (from my city, Avila) JM Jimenez "Chava"






Rest in peace

Bloody Hell. RIP Marco. You were fantastic- I'll never forget the 1998 Tour/Giro, and the way you looked certain to win the Tour of Italy a year later.

this is sad new, i saw it on TV a few minutes ago.

RIP pantani and Jimenez.

als a young belgiantalent Sermon died this week

I was at the piadinaro at 1 and he tells me...did you hear that Pantani died? I was like...Pantani who??? the cyclist??? (as if there were a whole lot of Pantanis) and he goes on...yeah Pantani the cyclist, they found him dead in a hotel room...I said ...it can't be true are you really sure??? nodding he went...damn sure, I heard it on the radio 1+ hours ago.

It shocked me no end

Addio Pirata

This monument was erected at Les Deux Alpes to celebrate Pantani's greatness in the mountains. There he won an epic stage of his Tour De France on July 27 1998.
The Pirate who came from the sea and conquered the highest mountains.

Thanks for the Post, my dad was a Huge fan!

http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=5658

Nice obituary (Yes, I did write this).

he is??? Havent heard anything about it yet !!! Wow

Yesterdat Italy lost one of his idols.
He was just 34 and he felt in that sad tunnel called depression, he didn't get through.
Some years ago, after the Madonna di Campiglio facts, the whole italian press was against him and now that he's dead pages and pages of italian press are for him. I call it hypocrisy, but it wasn't avoidable.
When I was a ten years old guy I had two idols: Franco Baresi and Marco Pantani, the first about football, the second about cycling. He gave Italy good reasons to dream in 1998 when he won the "Giro d'Italia" and the "Tour de France" and I think no one else will give us that emotions.

ADDIO PIRATA, GRAZIE DI TUTTO, SARAI SEMPRE NEI NOSTRI CUORI
(Goodbye Pirate, thanks for all, you'll be always in our hearts)