April 8, 2011 (Mantua, Italy) – The public prosecutor in Mantua, Antonino Condorelli, has named 32 riders and others in the WorldTour peloton after a long doping investigation according to the Italian-based Repubblica Sport daily. A judge will decide shortly whether to proceed with charges against the 32 who include 13 current and past riders with the Lampre team.

Among those named are: Alessandro Ballan, Marco Bandiera, Emanuele Bindi, Marzio Bruseghin, Damiano Cunego, Mauro Da Dalto, Francesco Gavazzi, Mirko Lorenzetto, Manuele Mori, Simone Ponzi, Mauro Santambrogio, Francesco Tomei and Daniele Pietropolli. Also named are Geo Francesco Bonazzi, Danish rider Michael Rasmussen, Sergio Gelati, Roberto Messina, some ex professional cyclists like Paul Bosson, Peter Caucchioli, Massimiliano Mori, Sebastian Gilmozzi, Paolo Pezzi; soccer players, Matthew Zambrone, Nicola Castrini and a Spanish doctor, Jose Ibarguren. Lampre team management were also named in the report.

Allegedly, cyclists travelled to Mantua (‘Mantova’ in Italian) to see a local pharmacist from whom they procured EPO (a hormone), ephedrine (a stimulant), testosterone, and corticoids (anabolic steroids). There is also mention of blood transfusion in the Repubblica report.

It is unclear if Ballan (now with BMC), who was provisionally suspended in 2010, will race this Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix 258km road race.

Read the Repubblica Sport report here.