Ivan Basso testified today at Operation Puerto. He said since he was a child he wanted to be the best cyclist in the world. He said he took the initiative in 2001 and contacted Dr. Fuentes because he though the method used by Fuentes of freezing the blood would improve his performance. He didn’t become a patient until 2005.
At the time he thought it was a fair thing to do but he doesn’t think so any longer. He already served a 2 year suspension.
Fuentes’ partner, Jose Luis Merihno Batres was a famous hematologist and he had confidence in him. He said he made three extractions but never re-infused the blood. He had agreed to pay 70,000 euros to Fuentes in 2006 for the season but paid a deposit of 15,000 euros in cash. He didn’t pay the rest because Fuentes was arrested in May 2006 before any further tests could be done.
