Evgeni Berzin
Coming from track cycling, where he successfully represented the Soviet Union at World Championships, he moved to Italy in 1992 and turned professional with Mecair–Ballan in 1993.Berzin finished the Tour of the Basque Country in second place behind Tony Rominger and signed a contract extension with Gewiss–Ballan at higher wages until 1996.Late in the race, he was part of a six-man leading group, including reigning world champion Lance Armstrong and Rominger.[3] Just three days later, at La Flèche Wallonne, Berzin and his Gewiss–Ballan teammates Argentin and Furlan broke away from the field at the first passage of the Mur de Huy, 65 km (40 mi) from the finish.The rest of the field was unable to counter what cycling journalist William Fotheringham called "the greatest show of strength in any Classic by any team".On stage 3 of the Giro del Trentino, Berzin was ordered back from an attack on his team leader, Argentin, eventually finishing the race in second place behind him.[3] Berzin entered the 1994 Giro d'Italia as co-leader next to Ugrumov, but soon established himself as the leading rider, finishing the first-day time trial ahead of favourite Miguel Induráin, second just to Armand de las Cuevas.[17] He eventually retired from the race on stage 10, having lost 15 minutes to Induráin the day before and, according to Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, being "physically demolished and mentally broken".[18] By 1996, his performances began to fade, leading the press to question his abilities and focus on his personal life, which included him and his wife Stella separating.[19] Berzin returned for the 1996 Giro d'Italia, where he won the time trial on stage 19,[20] putting him into provisional third place overall, just 14 seconds behind leader Pavel Tonkov.[33] He rode the Tour de France again, finishing third in the prologue time trial in Rouen, but he later abandoned the race, due to a broken clavicle.[37] Since his team was not invited,[38] Berzin missed the Giro d'Italia, but rode the Tour de France, finishing in 25th position, almost 43 minutes behind winner Marco Pantani.[40] Berzin was prevented from starting the 2000 Giro d'Italia, as he received a two-week ban, due to an elevated hematocrit level, indicating the use of erythropoietin (EPO), a product used for the purposes of doping.