Normally, Michele Acquarone is blessed with an easy-going temper and mild manners. Rarely does he lose his cool and he usually exudes an air of optimism. That all changed during yesterday’s press conference after the cancellation of stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia and the news of Danilo Di Luca's positive test for EPO.

Originally, Acquarone had planned to meet with the press to announce that Saturday's stage will finish at the summit of Tre Cime di Lavaredo regardless of the weather situation.

The news of Di Luca's positive abruptly hauled Italian cycling back into its gloomy past and swiftly cloaked any good feeling about the Giro d'Italia.

"It's been a very unique day in lots of ways. We hope that these 17 great days of the Giro aren’t cancelled by snow or by the mud," Acquarone said according to Rai Sport, clearly pointing a finger without mentioning any names.

"Regarding the mud, we can only say that every time it happens we feel we're a victim but we won’t allow a single case to inflict damage on a new cycling generation of clean riders. I'm not trying to minimize things but I think it's a case of an old rider who hasn't understood that the world has changed."

It was quite obvious that Acquarone became very angry as soon as Di Luca's name was mentioned.

"I'm angry because I think: 'How can a rider or a person of his age be so stupid and not understand that the music has changed and not understand the damage he's doing to himself and the whole movement'," Acquarone asked rhetorically.

"I really hope it's a marginal event, but it means we’re not talking about Nibali's great win yesterday [Thursday] and so he [Di Luca] has caused some damage. We're not talking about what we should be talking about."

“When the commission decided to give Vini Fantini a wild card, it was because we've got to support Italian cycling. Speaking personally, if someone looks me in the eyes and he tells me 'I made a mistake, I've understood and won't make another mistake' I believe them. When he makes another mistake, it means he's got a drug problem. If he can’t stop himself, he definitely needs help."