Apparently the organisers of the Giro d'Italia do not plan to re-test samples from their 2008 event for CERA. Recent analysis of samples taken at the 2008 Tour de France have revealed further use of CERA (the EPO derivative naively thought by athletes to be undetectable), and the IOC have announce that they we re-test 5000 samples taken at Beijing this summer.
So why the dfferent strategy to doping checks? Recall that the second placed Ricco won two stages in the Giro, and then tested positive at the Tour de France, after very strong performances in the mountains (Ricco's hero is apparently Marco Pantani, which is a little alarming given Pantani's sad demise following his positive dope tests). The claim is that tests were already doneduring the event. But given that the Tour de France organisers have uncovered further evidence of CERA abuse, wouldn't it be wise to re-examine the Giro samples? Or is this an indication of the "two-speed cycling" often complained about by the French?