Cyclingnews.com:
"This afternoon, the body of 34 year old Marco Pantani was found in a room in Le Rose di Rimini apartments in the Italian Adriatic coastal city of Rimini. The alarm was given to the Rimini police by the manager of the apartment complex. When the police arrived on scene they found Pantani's body. The cause of death is not yet known, although according to initial information from the Rimini police, Pantani did not die a violent death. The coroner will come to examine the scene and there will be an autopsy according to Italian law.
Italian national coach Franco Ballerini was quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport as saying that, "This whole thing doesn't seem real."
Marco Pantani was arguably the top climber of the 1990's, winning eight stages apiece in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia. He won both races in 1998, but was expelled from the 1999 Giro on the penultimate stage while in the lead after failing a hematocrit test. Since then his career has spiralled downwards, and he has had to answer several charges of doping related sporting fraud in court. Although eventually cleared of all charges, he disappeared from competition completely after the Giro d'Italia last year. Several reports claim that he was suffering from depression, and it was doubtful that he would ever return to racing again."
What a terrible shame......so much talent, the highs/lows of genius and madman sadly personified. In centuries gone by the great artists, musicians, poets etc were all on the verge of what we now regard insanity through depression. It seems that nothing has changed regarding such genius. What a complete shame. 
