TNT Sports
Cipo goes home
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Published 07/09/2003 at 13:47 GMT+1
World champion Mario Cipollini pulled out of the Vuelta a Espana before the second stage on Sunday and flew home to Italy. Earlier this week, Cipollini had been unwilling to compete in the race and organisers had told his Domina Vacanze team that, should
Eurosport
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"Mario caught a plane today from Gijon at nine o'clock and is now flying back home," team manager Vincenzo Santoni told Reuters.
"He has acted like the world champion he is by coming to the Vuelta, and he has shown a great sense of responsibility towards his team mates.
"Mario has honoured the start of the Tour of Spain," Santoni added.
Race director Victor Cordero has denied that Cipollini was obliged to ride the Vuelta.
According to Spanish radio Onda Cero, Cordero claimed he had told Domina Vacanze 48 hours before the race that Cipollini need not start.
Speculation had been rife in Gijon that Cipollini, believed to be in very poor race condition having not taken part in any events since he quit the Tour of Italy in May following a crash, would pull out as early as the first week.
Cipollini has abandoned the Vuelta in controversial circumstances on several occasions in the past. In 2000 he was expelled for hitting another rider.
His participation this year did not go beyond the symbolic role of taking part in Saturday's opening team time trial, where his squad were penalised for a minute for mutual pushing.
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