McQuaid: EPO claims against Roche beyond belief

PAT McQUAID, now one of the most powerful cycling administrators in the world, has come to the defence of Stephen Roche in what he has described as an attempt to besmirch the Tour de France winner's character.

Roche joined an elite band of cycling legends when he won the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the World Championships in 1987.

But, yesterday his name was linked to investigations into the Italian medic, Professor Francesco Conconia, and two associates, Dr Ilario Casoni and Dr Giovani Grazzi, accused of administering the performance enhancing drug, erithropoietin, otherwise known as EPO, back in 1993 ­ the year Roche retired.