Meanwhile, banned Italian cyclist Pietrio Caucchioli has decided to challenge the validity of the “biological passport” test used in his case. This comes just days after fellow countryman Franco Pellizotti was cleared of doping charges on the basis of insufficient evidence from biological passport data. Pellizotti’s lawyers argued the biological passport is not a reliable mechanism. If Caucchioli succeeds it could further cloud use of the bio passport for dope detection — in and of itself, at least. It still may find utility for casting suspicion on a rider’s performance — which then followup blood testing could confirm.

While the excuse seems contrived, the Contador case could rival the truly inspired ratonalization of French tennis star Richard Gasquet, who explained his positive cocaine test as the result of kissing a girl in a night club. Later testing seemed to reinforce his defense.

Contador also can take solace, perhaps, in the absolution of Italian racing star Franco Pellizotti, the bronze finisher in the 2009 Tour of Italy who later was placed under suspicion due to irregularities in his biological passport — a new anti-doping measure that looks at performance irregularities.

The most critical line in the news article:

Pellizotti’s lawyer, Rocco Taminelli, declared: “The biological passport is not reliable.”

If true, at least from a legal standpoint in a court of law, it could doom the whole concept.