Pantani, Madonna di Campiglio, and the Mafia

So I've heard from a few places that Gazetta has a long piece suggesting that, amongst other things, Pantani's positive in the '99 Giro on Madonna di Campiglio was fixed by the local Mafia who were trying to fix the result for some bets they'd made.
Anyone got any sources I/we can read, or shed any more light on it?
Anyone got any sources I/we can read, or shed any more light on it?
0
Posts
MTB
NEW Cross
Track/Grass Track/Winter bike
Said like that, the Mafia didn't initially intend to control anything, rather they decided to support the small businesses in their time of need - a bit like a Margaret Thatcher policy.
Apparently similar happened when Napoli FC with Maradona looked likely to win everything going in the football world.
Looks like Italian magistrates are getting involved.
Don't think anyone is disputing he was on the juice
More they're disputing he didn't pass the test.
Anyone else think that Fazio looks just like David Millar?
People certainly made a lot of money off him being kicked out, that's for sure
Agreed. I think in some quarters there is a need to put a "romantic" spin on Pantani's demise as in to show him as a clean(er) rider and lay the fault of his death at someone else's door. It all adds to the legend and sells yet more books, films T-shirts and bandanas.
I heard Prince Harry was his love child and the Royal Family had him silenced.
As for me I just loved the way he climbed and accelerated on the drops. He also looked cool in that Mercatone kit.
Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
Actually Pantani should have been thrown off the 1998 Giro, but instead his test sample – taken when the entire Mercatone Uno team was randomly tested ahead of the final time trial – was switched with that of domestique Riccardo Forconi, who then took the rap and was sent home.