Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, May 5, 2017
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2017 Tour de France | 2017 Giro d'Italia
It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him. - J. R. R. Tolkien
Current Racing:
- May 3 - 7: Tour d'Azerbaidjan
- May 5 - 7: Vuelta Comunidad de Madrid
- May 5 - 28: Giro d'Italia
Latest completed racing:
- May 1: Rund um den Finanzplat Eschborn-Frankfurt
- April 29 - May 1: Vuelta a Asturias
- April 25 - 30: Tour de Romandie
- April 28 - 30: Tour de Yorkshire
- April 23: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- April 17 - 21: Tour of the Alps (formerly Giro del Trentino)
- April 19: La Flèche Wallonne
Bardiani-CSF riders Nicola Ruffoni & Stefano Pirazzi positive for banned substances
The two riders were positive for growth-hormone releasing peptides. They will not be allowed to start the Giro d'Italia. As I write this on Thursday afternoon, it is still not clear if the team will be on the Giro start-line.
Stefano Pirazzi winning stage four of the 2016 Coppi-Bartali Week.
Here's the UCI's release:
04 May 2017
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that it has notified Italian riders Nicola Ruffoni and Stefano Pirazzi of an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) of GH-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs)* in samples collected in the scope of out-of-competition controls on 25 and 26 April 2017 respectively.
The riders have the right to request and attend the analysis of the B sample. In accordance with UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the riders have been provisionally suspended until the adjudication of the respective affair.
These constitute the first and second AAFs for members of the UCI Professional Continental Team Bardiani CSF within a twelve-month period. Therefore, article 7.12.1 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules providing for the suspension of the team from 15 days to 45 days will be applied.
The UCI will refer the matter to the Disciplinary Commission which will render a decision against the team in due course.
At this stage of the procedure, the UCI will not comment any further on any of these matters.
(*) GH-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs) are classified as “Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics” as per the World Anti-Doping Prohibited List 2017.
(**) Article 7.12 ADR which entered into force on 1 January 2015.
And here's the team's news release:
PIRAZZI AND RUFFONI: OFFICIAL RELEASE FROM THE TEAM
Referred to the notification of the Union Cycliste Internationale to the riders Stefano Pirazzi and Nicola Ruffoni of potential anti-doping rule violation, following an out-of-competition test on April 26th (Pirazzi) and April 25th (Ruffoni), Pro Cycling Team Bardiani-CSF state the intention to immediately throw out both the riders from the Giro d’Italia squad and to suspend from all the activity of the team, according to UCI regulations.
In case the “B” samples will confirm the violation, the team will immediately proceed with layoff, as provided for by internal regulations, signed by each riders at the beginning of the season, and will act to protect its image and their sponsors.
Bruno and Roberto Reverberi, manager of the team, declare: “We’re absolutely astounded by the news. We will wait the results of further analysis and we will reaffirm with determination the intention to protect the values of our sport project”.
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