In the heat of the moment it's stunning to read a story like that where Simoni retracted his outlandish charges against Basso, including allegations that Basso tried to throw the race for beer money. But when you think it through, it's not so remarkable after all.
Simoni has consistently demonstrated that he's got soft spots on his brain. This is a guy who concocts an increasingly bizarre conspiracy theory for each mounting loss in the Giro: my teammate deserted me, my opponent got too much help, etc. He even has succeeded in making an ass of himself when he won, boasting about how he was going to France to stick it to Armstrong, then dropping 45 minutes in the prologue, as I recall.
So this is the mastermind behind the allegations. Well, how hard can it be for a seasoned prosecutor to reduce Simoni under cross-examination to a puddle of screaming jelly? Moreover, who among us couldn't watch a training tape of how to conduct cross, and get Simoni to confess the whole thing in under 20 minutes? Personally, I'd try invoking his mother's judgment... you know, "your mother raised you not to lie, didn't she? Wouldn't she want you to tell the truth today?" That'd crack him like a walnut.
Anyway, whatever angle the prosecutor used worked like a charm. And now Simoni is facing sanctions. Meanwhile at the Basso residence, there's a Giro title, new baby, and now this. Ivan's having the month of his life.