Inquiry reopened into cyclist’s death after murder claim

Italian prosecutors have reopened an investigation into the death of cyclist Marco Pantani after his family presented evidence contending the former Tour de France winner was murdered.

Pantani, who won both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in 1998, was found dead in a Rimini hotel room on February 14, 2004. A coroner ruled the 34-year-old died from a cocaine overdose.

The Italian cyclist’s mother, Tonina Pantani, has always claimed her son was murdered, alleging that he was forced to drink a lethal dose of cocaine dissolved in liquid.