Two riders already removed from Giro d’Italia over alleged doping
Nicola Ruffoni, one of two riders already out of the Giro over alleged doping before the race even starts.
The Giro d’Italia has been hit by a high profile doping story before it even starts, with news that two Italian riders are out of the race after adverse dope tests.
Stefano Pirazzi and Nicola Ruffoni of the Bardiani CSF ProContinental team have been removed from the race.
News has just broken that they returned the adverse samples in out of competition tests on April 25th and 26th.
Pirazzi won the climbers’ classification in 2013 and took a stage the following year.
And Ruffoni enjoyed a very strong Tour of Croatia last month winning two stages in a row and the points classification.
Advertisement
Related News
GH-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs) – of growth hormones - have been detected in their A samples, though they have the right to have a B sample tested.
The team said the riders would be dismissed if the findings thus far were confirmed at the end of the UCI sanctioning process now underway.
It is too late for the team to draft new riders in to fill the two vacant slots and so it must start the Giro with just seven men.
It is also possible the team may be stopped from riding the race, or permitted to start by removed at some point should the B samples confirm the results of the A samples.
Under UCI rules teams with more than one rider testing positive can face sanctions that sees the entire squad suspended for up to 45 days.
Both the UCI and RCS Sports, which owns the Giro, confirmed the riders had been provisionally suspended.
“Following the provisional suspension of Nicola Ruffoni and Stefano Pirazzi of the Bardiani CSF team by the UCI, the Giro d'Italia race direction reaffirms its full support of the CADF (Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation) in the fight against doping in all its aspects and forms,” RCS said.
“While awaiting the B-sample examinations which will determine the outcome, the Giro d'Italia's race direction and RCS Sport reserves the right to take any appropriate measure to protect the image and the name of the Giro d'Italia.”
Topics
