Italian pro rider Valentino Fois found dead

The cyclist Valentino Fois has been found dead at the home of his mother in the town of  Villa D’Alme in Bergamo. 

While the cause of death is still officially unknown ahead of a planned post morten, Fois had recently been treated for drug addiction and depression at a facility near Parma. Last year he had also been in trouble with Italian justice over the theft of several laptop computers.  

In 1998 Fois was banned from competing for doping offences following positive tests in the Tours of Switzerland and Poland. Recently he was attempting to make a comeback with the Amore & Vita – McDonalds pro team and had been training the day before he died. A former team mate of Marco Pantani, in February Fois had given an interview on Italian TV during which he had spoken about his time as a domestique to Il Pirata. His comments had led Pantani’s mother to begin legal proceedings against him. 

You can read Daniel Friebe’s blog about Fois’ death here.