Lainaus:
Pantani's "sporting fraud" case recommenced last week in Forli, northern Italy, however the Pirate was not in attendance to give evidence. Judge Luisa Del Bianco wants to know why Marco Pantani's hematocrit was measured at 60.1% when he was hospitalised after his accident in Milan-Turin on October 18, 1995. In June, it had been measured at 45, and its substantial rise over the next four months was considered suspicious by the prosecution, who are accusing Pantani of falsifying sports results through EPO (or other blood boosting) drug use.
Sante Tura, a hematologist speaking in Pantani's defence, explained that Pantani was training at 2,500 m altitude in Colombia in September, to prepare for the World Championships in that country where he finished third in the road race. This could have raised it by 4 points to 49 in time for the World's, according to Tura. With Milan-Turin immediately following the World's, Pantani's "starting value" for that race should have also been 49.