Riccardo Ricco returned to racing this year in solid fashion, some might even call it quiet. He has picked up a number of solid results including two stages of the Settimana Lombarda and a stage of the Giro del Trentino to finish 2nd behind Alexandre Vinokourov. He finished 10th in this weekend's Italian Road Championships behind a brilliant Giovanni Visconti.
While he has returned to racing in 2010 and is seeking to make amends for his past, his past has not been forgotten by fans, teams, and media alike, nor has it been forgotten by the French authorities. The 26-year-old climber is set to appear in French court on Tuesday to answer to his case dating back to July 2008.
Right before the start of that fateful stage from Narbonne to Lavelanet, French police raided Ricco's room and found drugs, vials, and syringes. It wasn't long before Ricco also tested positive for CERA-EPO. That year's runner-up at the Giro was eventually sentenced to 24 months by the Italian Federation, but later saw the sentence reduced to 20 months by the CAS following his cooperation in the case. The 20 month suspension passed quickly, and Ricco made his return to the sport with the Ceramica Flaminia squad this Spring.
Unfortunately for Ricco, he was found to be in possession of doping products in France on that July morning in 2008, and that is a punishable offense in France. The rider nicknamed 'The Cobra' could face a maximum prison sentence of two years and a fine of 3,750 euros.