Davide Rebellin is one of the most experienced riders in the professional peloton. The Italian rider who is currently at the Tour of Qatar, wants to share his knowledge with the young riders.

"I want to be an example of longevity. I’m showing that if one wants to, he can keep going into his 40s," Rebellin told Velonews after the first stage. "It’s an example. Even now many riders say to me, ‘Looking at you makes me want to consider to keep going.’ Not just the amateurs doing so, but the other professionals here in the group."

The former Tirreno-Adriatico winner was also the first Italian to hand back an Olympic medal. Indeed, he tested position for EPO CERA during the 2008 Olympics. But he never admitted to cheating. "No. No, I didn’t do it. Also the Olympics was a story that was … I tried to defend myself, but I never had a ruling in my favor. Now, though, I’ve won some legal cases in Italy."

He  won the criminal case against him last May. In the ruling, the judge did not go against the scientific evidence that he doped. "For sure, the two-year suspension was very bad,” he added. "I lost contacts, teams didn’t want me, the organizers didn’t want me. My salary was cut by at least half, or even more, much more. It was not just a two-year suspension, but six or seven. I had to restart with small teams to be in a team that is a little larger now."