Riders with non-negative Giro doping tests named

Wednesday, it was reported that there were three non-negative doping tests from the Giro d'Italia. Allegedly, two Italians tested positive for the presence of Salbutamol and one Spanish rider's test showed elevated testosterone levels. Eurosport has reported the alleged identity of the three riders: Italians Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) and Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval) and Spaniard Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval).

The two Italians have medical exemptions on file for treating asthma, while Mayo is known to be prone to natural testosterone variations, something he has documented previously with the UCI.

The Basque public television channel EiTB, who initiallyreported the identity of the Spanish rider as Iban Mayo said the UCI would not confirm Mayo's involvement. "All of the tests from the Giro are still being examined," Enrico Carpani told the television station.

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Counter analysis is pending. The Italian Federal Sports Medicine anti-doping laboratory (FMSI) in Rome sent samples to Barcelona for further verification. The tests would seek to prove, like in the case of Floyd Landis, whether there is evidence of synthetic testosterone.