Pierpaolo De Negri (Vini Fantini) leads the points classification (Image credit: Sonoko Tanaka)
Italian Pieropaolo de Negri, 31, has been provisionally suspended by the UCI following an adverse analytical finding for anabolic androgenic steroids in an out-of-competition control from December 21, 2017.
The former Nippo-Vini Fantini rider, who signed with the new Continental squad MS-Tina Focus for this season, will sit out the Trofeo Laigueglia.
In a press release, the team stated they were "confident the athlete will be able to clarify" the situation.
However, they shifted responsibility for De Negri, stating that the control was taken while he was still under contract with his former Pro Continental squad.
"The non-negativite, if confirmed by the competent bodies, would be a serious blow to the image of a newly formed team," they wrote.
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