Rijkaert was active in cycling when EPO was being introduced to the professional peloton by doctors such as Francesco Conconi and his former assistant Michele Ferrari.
Ongaro started his career in Italy at the Center for Biomedical Studies Applied to Sports directed by Francesco Conconi, one of the most popular scientists and gurus in the field of performance enhancement.
In 1999, he admitted using blood doping in breaking the record, helped by sports doctor Francesco Conconi; his doping had not been declared illegal at the time.
Francesco Rosi | Francesco Clemente | Francesco Bartolozzi | Francesco Guardi | Francesco Guccini | Francesco Marino Mannoia | Francesco Severi | Francesco Cossiga | Francesco Moser | Francesco Mondada | Gian Francesco Malipiero | Giovanni Francesco Fara | Francesco Redi | Francesco Quinn | Francesco Graziani | Francesco De Gregori | Francesco Crispi | Francesco Conconi | Francesco Barberini | Gian Francesco Poggio Bracciolini | Francesco Sartori | Francesco Ruggieri | Francesco Paolo Bontade | Francesco I da Carrara | Francesco Grimaldi | Francesco Coppola | Francesco Cavalli | Francesco Bonami | Francesco Alberoni | Pier Francesco Sacchi |