Andrea Peron

Andrea Peron (born 14 August 1971) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He competed in the team time trial at the 1992 Summer Olympics winning a silver medal. Peron turned professional in 1993, riding for team Gatorade. He is best remembered for leading the sombre peloton across the finish line in the neutralised Stage 16 of the 1995 Tour de France, the day after the death of his team- and roommate Fabio Casartelli in a fall.

He was a strong time trialist, with good results in the Italian championships, as well as a 5th place at the 1996 World Time Trial Championships. From 2002 until his retirement in 2006, he was a domestique on Team CSC. In January 2010 he joined as assistant general manager.

Drug use allegations Before the 2004 Tour de France, rumours surfaced in the French newspaper Le Monde that Peron, alongside other riders, was still under suspicion for doping following a police raid in Sanremo, Italy in June 2001. This would prevent Andrea Peron from competing in the 2004 Tour de France, as the race organizers did not want any riders under with ongoing trials competing in their race. However, Peron's case had already been closed in December 2003. He had been acquitted for having four painkillers containing caffeine, of which Andrea Peron had used none. The pills had a level of caffeine below the maximum limit allowed by the UCI, the governing body of cycling. Indeed, Peron had already partaken in the 2003 Tour de France the year prior without any complications.

Major results

1992 1st Piccolo Giro di Lombardia 7th Overall, Peace Race 1st Stage 2 1994 2nd Overall, Hofbräu Cup 1st Stage 3 3rd Overall, Tour DuPont 1st Stage 8 1st Hamilton Classic 61st Overall, 1994 Tour de France 1995 3rd Overall, Tour DuPont 1st Stage 2 1st Thrift Drug Classic 6th Overall Vuelta a Murcia 44th Overall, 1995 Tour de France 1996 1st Overall, Vuelta a Castilla y León 1st Stage 1 1st Points competition 1st Mountain competition, Three Days of De Panne 5th UCI Road World Championships, Time Trial 8th Overall, Vuelta a España 1997 56th Overall, 1997 Tour de France 1998 7th Liège–Bastogne–Liège 1999 10th Overall, 1999 Tour de France 2000 4th Trofeo Matteotti 2001 1st Italian National Time Trial Championships 2002 53rd Overall, 2002 Tour de France 2003 1st Firenze–Pistoia 54th Overall, 2003 Tour de France 2004 64th Overall, 2004 Tour de France 2005 1st Trofeo Città di Borgomanero (with Ivan Basso)