Danilo Di Luca

Danilo Di Luca

Danilo Di Luca in 2007
Personal information
Full name	Danilo Di Luca
Nickname	The Killer from Spoltore
Born	January 2, 1976 (1976-01-02) (age 35) Spoltore, Italy
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	61 kg (134 lb)
Team information
Current team	Team Katusha
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Climber/Classics Specialist
Professional team(s)
1998 1999–2001 2002–2004 2005–2007 2008–2009 2011–	Riso Scotti Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio Saeco Macchine per Caffè-Longoni Sport Liquigas-Bianchi LPR Brakes-Ballan Team Katusha
Major wins
UCI ProTour (2005) General classification 2007 Giro d'Italia (and 8 stages) Vuelta a España, 2 stages Amstel Gold Race (2005) Giro di Lombardia (2001) La Flèche Wallonne (2005) Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2007) Tour of the Basque Country (2005)
Infobox last updated on August 8th, 2009

Danilo Di Luca (born January 2, 1976) is an Italian professional road racing cyclist who rode for numerous UCI Professional Continental teams troughout his career including Liquigas-Bianchi and LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini.^[1][2] He holds victories in the Giro di Lombardia in 2001, the 2005 UCI ProTour and won both the Giro d'Italia and the spring classic Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2007. He was also suspended following a positive doping test during the 2009 Giro d'Italia. In 2011, he rides with UCI ProTeam Team Katusha, for no salary.^[3]

Early years

Born in Spoltore, province of Pescara, Di Luca began his professional career in 1998 in the Riso Scotti team. He showed talent by winning the under-23 version of the Giro D'Italia. His first pro win was in 1999, when, moving to Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio, he won the first stage of the Giro d'Abruzzo. He remained in the team taking wins in 2001 such as the fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia and the Giro di Lombardia. Then, he transferred to Saeco-Longoni Sport.

During his time at Saeco-Longoni he lost the Vuelta al País Vasco on the last stage, a mountain time trial in which Andreas Klöden took the lead and the win. Combined with injuries and lack of confidence of the team directors, his performance suffered. In 2004 Italian officials investigated Di Luca for doping. Cyclingnews.com said: "Di Luca was recorded in several phone conversations with Eddy Mazzoleni in which he allegedly talked about doping products, the investigation led to Di Luca's non-participation in the 2004 Tour de France."^[4][5]

2005

In 2005, Di Luca switched to Liquigas-Bianchi, with Mario Cipollini, Dario Cioni, Stefano Garzelli and Magnus Bäckstedt. He led the team for the spring classics. His first victory came in the first stage of the UCI ProTour race Vuelta al País Vasco, which he won overall after defeating Aitor Osa in the final time trial. He won the Amstel Gold Race and La Flèche Wallonne, taking the ProTour leader's white jersey.

Di Luca was seen as suited to races lasting only a few days. His success in the 2005 Giro d'Italia came as a surprise. Here he won two stages and finished fourth. He finished fifth in the Tour de Pologne. With a fourth in the 2005 Züri-Metzgete, he became 2005 UCI ProTour champion.

2006

Di Luca was forced to retire from the 2006 Tour de France, due to a urinary infection. He recovered to compete in the 2006 Vuelta a España, winning the fifth stage and holding the lead (ceding it to Janez Brajkovič). Di Luca's performances in the classics, the Giro, and other races, were a letdown from the triumphs of 2005.

2007

Di Luca won Milano–Torino in March and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in April. He took stages 4 and 12 en route to the victory in the 2007 Giro d'Italia. After the Giro, it was revealed that Di Luca had unspecified low hormone levels. Italian authorities are determining if they are a consequence of racing at a high level for three weeks or some kind of masking agent.^[6] On September 28, Di Luca withdrew from the UCI road championship calling his treatment "a scandal" after doping allegations.^[7]

Di Luca was leading the 2007 UCI ProTour when he was suspended before the final race, the Giro di Lombardia, due to alleged involvement in the Oil for Drugs case, for which he was suspended for three months through the close season.^[8]

2008–2009

In 2008, Di Luca had a quiet year as his new team, LPR Brakes-Ballan, were not invited to many races. In 2009, they received a wildcard entry to the Giro d'Italia and Di Luca won the fourth stage.^[9] He then came second on the fifth stage, gaining the pink jersey as race leader, and extended his lead by winning the tenth stage. He lost time on the two time trial stages and finished second overall, winning the points classification.

On 22 July 2009, it was announced that Di Luca had tested positive for CERA on 20 and 28 May 2009, during the Giro d'Italia. He was provisionally suspended with immediate effect by the UCI.^[1][10] He had been targeted for testing using information from his biological passport's blood profile, previous test results and his race schedule.^[11] On 8 August, his positive tests were confirmed. On February 1, 2010, the Italian Olympic committee (CONI) suspended him for two years (effective as of July 22, 2009) for the Giro doping incident. Di Luca must also pay a €280,000 fine, as well as the costs incurred in both the analysis and counter-analysis of his Giro samples: Di Luca indicated his intention to contest the decision.^[12]

2010-2011

On October 15, 2010, CONI announced that Di Luca's ban had been reduced to nine months and seven days, allowing Di Luca to return as of that very day (though the season was nearly over). This was due to his reported cooperation with investigators, detailing doping methods. CONI also announced the reduction of Di Luca's fine, from €280,000 to €106,400,^[13] but the UCI contends that he will still have to pay the full amount based on when his doping incident occurred.^[14] His results from the 2009 Giro were stricken from the record.^[15]

In the 2011 season, he competed for Team Katusha, and his performances were somewhat mitigated, since he held no victories. His notable results were fourth of the Giro d'Italia's 6th stage and fourth in the Tour de Suisse's first stage.^[16]

Major achievements

1999 – Cantina Tollo-Alexia Alluminio

1st, 1 stage, Giro d’Abruzzo

2nd, Giro di Lombardia

2000 – Cantina Tollo

1st, GP Industria & Artigianato di Larciano

1st, Trofeo Pantalica

1st, 1 stage, Giro d'Italia

1st, 2 stages, Giro d’Abruzzo

2nd, Vuelta al País Vasco

1st, 1 stage

2001 – Cantina Tollo-Acqua & Sapone

1st, Giro di Lombardia

1st, 1 stage, Giro d'Italia

2nd, 1 stage, Setmana Catalana

1st, Giro d'Abruzzo

1st, 1 stage

2002 – Saeco

1st, Giro del Veneto

1st, GP Fred Mengoni

1st, Trofeo Laigueglia

2nd, Tirreno - Adriatico

1st, 2 stages

1st, 1 stage, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

1st, 1 stage, Vuelta a España

2003 – Saeco

1st, Coppa Placci

3rd, Amstel Gold Race

1st, Tre Valli Varesine

1st, 1 stage, Tirreno - Adriatico

1st, Tour de Ligure

1st, 1 stage

2004 – Saeco

1st, Trofeo Matteoti

1st, Brixia Tour

1st, Stage 4, Vuelta a Murcia

2nd, La Flèche Wallonne

4th, Amstel Gold Race

2005 – Liquigas-Bianchi

Champion, UCI ProTour

1st, Amstel Gold Race

1st, La Flèche Wallonne

1st, Overall, Vuelta al País Vasco

1st, Stage 1

4th, Overall, Giro d'Italia

Winner stages 3 and 5

4th, Züri-Metzgete

5th, Overall, Tour de Pologne

2006 – Liquigas

1st, Stage 5, Vuelta a España

6th, La Flèche Wallonne

9th, Liège–Bastogne–Liège

9th, Züri-Metzgete

2007 – Liquigas

1st, Milano–Torino

3rd, Amstel Gold Race

3rd, La Flèche Wallonne

1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège

1st, Stage 3, Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali

Giro d'Italia

Winner overall classification

1st, Stage 4

1st, Stage 12

2008 – LPR Brakes-Ballan

1st, Stage 4 & Overall, Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda

1st, King of the Mountains, Tour of Britain

1st, Giro dell'Emilia

8th Overall, Giro'd Italia

2009 – LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini

Settimana Ciclista Lombarda:

1st, Stage 1 Team Time Trial

Giro del Trentino

1st, Stage 4

2nd, Overall Giro d'Italia (results revoked due to doping)

Winner, Points classification

1st, Stage 4

1st, Stage 10

See also

• List of doping cases in cycling

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Cyclingnews (2009-07-22). "Di Luca positive for CERA in Giro". Cycling News. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/di-luca-positive-for-cera-in-giro. Retrieved 2009-07-22. 
2. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lpr-brakes-fires-di-luca-over-doping-charges
3. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/di-luca-set-to-ride-for-free-with-one-year-katusha-deal
4. ^ Cycling News article, June 28, 2007
5. ^ www.cyclingnews.com - the world centre of cycling
6. ^ CONI to question Petacchi, Di Luca and Mazzoleni
7. ^ Di Luca withdraws from Worlds
8. ^ "Di Luca given doping suspension". BBC Sport. 2007-10-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6265648.stm. Retrieved 2008-03-18. 
9. ^ Di Luca still the cold-blooded killer
10. ^ "Italian Di Luca fails doping test". BBC. 2009-07-22. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/8163587.stm. Retrieved 22 July 2009. 
11. ^ "Di Luca positive for CERA in 2009 Giro d'Italia". Bike Radar. 2009-07-22. http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/di-luca-positive-for-cera-in-2009-giro-ditalia-22510. 
12. ^ Di Luca suspended for 2 years (http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/02/news/di-luca-suspended-for-2-years_103581)
13. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/di-luca-free-to-race-after-coni-reduce-ban
14. ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/di-luca-still-faces-fine-of-eur280000
15. ^ UCI - Sanctions, Period of ineligibily and disqualifications 2010
16. ^ "Danilo Di Luca principaux résultats". les-sports.info. http://www.les-sports.info/cyclisme-di-luca-danilo-resultats-identite-s2-c2-b4-o2-w1756.html. 

External links

• Twitter
• Official website
• Danilo Di Luca at Trap-Friis.dk

Persondata
Name	Di Luca, Danilo
Alternative names
Short description	Road racing cyclist
Date of birth	1976-01-02
Place of birth	Spoltore, Italy
Date of death
Place of death