Cycling: Pressure forces Simoni to quit

Pressure from rival squads and organisers over Gilberto Simoni's positive test for cocaine has finally forced the 2001 winner to quit the Giro d'Italia.

Simoni, 30, did not join the other riders at the start of stage 12 in the quiet southern town of Campobasson, despite winning the previous day's stage convincingly. Instead, he was confined to his team bus.

Lance Armstong, despite a month's break from racing, finished second in yesterday's time trial in the Midi Libre stage race in France, just seven seconds adrift of Spain's Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano.