Operation Aderlass: Denifl handed two-year prison sentence for fraud

Cycling: 99th Tour of Italy 2016 / Stage 15
Stefan DENIFL (AUT)/
Castelrotto / Kastelruth - Alpe Di Suisi / Seiseralm 1844m (10,8km)/
Time Trial ITT/ Giro / © Tim De Waele
Stefan Denifl riding for IAM Cycling at the 2016 GIro d'Italia (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Stefan Denifl has been handed a two-year prison sentence – 16 months of which are suspended – for serious commercial fraud relating to his doping during his time as a professional cyclist.

The Austrian, who was investigated as part of Operation Aderlass and confessed to blood doping in March 2019, was banned from cycling later that year and had his results from 2014 onwards stripped. He raced for IAM Cycling and Aqua Blue Sport during that time.

Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from the 2024 season include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –  'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.