Many of the doping cases that have marred Italian cycling in recent years, have been linked to the Neri Sottoli team. Di Luca, Santambrogio, Rabottini have all tested positive while wearing the jersey of Luca Scinto's team, meaning that the team's credibility has been questioned. And Scinto have not been spared any criticism. Now it has become too much for the Italian as the pressure has been growing during the last two years. "I had to go to the office of the US Attorney to talk about things that have little to do with cycling. It's disappointing," he laments.

Scinto has now decided to step down from his position at the head of Neri Sottoli and in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, he has explained his decision. "Yes, I was disappointed by some riders which I had believed in. They turned out to be doing the opposite of what I thought. And I started to wonder. For some time, it was no longer the same, I lacked spark and passion ... I was considered one of the best directors but had something in my stomach. I could not take it anymore."

What if he had controlled his riders more. "What was I supposed to do? You look into their eyes and then you can determine whether they are clean or not? I am sorry but I don't have that capability. We have done everything possible: testsm controls, programmes. I don't live with the riders. But I have also made mistakes," he says.

Scinto has been unable to avoid the criticism for not knowing what his riders were doing. Some have suggested that Scinto will return as soon as the team has received an invitation for the Giro. "It is more nonsense," he says. "I do not know how long it will last but I feel really bad. I can no longer ignore it.

He also denies that he will continue to work with the youth team that is linked to Neri Sottoli and will bear the name of his friend Franco Ballerini. "They already have two good directors," he teels the Italian sports daily. He also takes his time to look back. "I started in 2002 and I have been at all levels. The best memeory was to be with Pozzato in Flanders in 2012 when he finished second and was about to win. That was great for a small team like ours. The biggest disappointment was Rabottini, we went back to zero."

He doesn't consider his withdrawal as a defeat. "I always did my job which I love but I do not have the same motivation. It would have been a defeat if I had continued to fool both myself and the team. But I've been honest and I think the best option was to leave. Now I feel more liberated because it was an idea that has been in my head for a while."