Banned Basso signs Liquigas deal

Banned rider Ivan Basso has signed a two-year contract with Liquigas, the Italian cycling team said. The 2006 Giro d'Italia winner is serving a two-year suspension after being implicated in the Operation Puerto blood doping scandal in Spain and cannot...

Banned rider Ivan Basso has signed a two-year contract with Liquigas, the Italian cycling team said.

The 2006 Giro d'Italia winner is serving a two-year suspension after being implicated in the Operation Puerto blood doping scandal in Spain and cannot race until October.

The Operation Puerto affair broke in May 2006 after police raids in Madrid and Zaragoza found large quantities of anabolic steroids, blood-transfusion equipment and more than 200 bags of blood.

No indications were given as to when the 30-year-old would start his first race for the team.

"Ivan is the greatest talent in Italian cycling," Liquigas Sport president Paolo Dal Lago said.

"We like challenges and we share this spirit with Ivan... we are happy to welcome him to our group."

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