Italian cyclist Danilo di Luca who finished runner up in the recent Giro d’Italia has been provisionally suspended after proving positive to tests for the banned blood booster Cera.
“The decision was made in response to a report to blood samples collected during the Giro on 20 and 28 May 2009,” said the International Cycling Union.
Di Luca had won two stages of the Giro d’Italia and wore the pink jersey as leader of the race. The 33 year old who won the Italian race in 2007 could face a two year ban if a second sample is found to be positive.
The rider is no stranger to controversy – he served a three month ban in 2007 after the Italian Olympic Committee found him guilty of frequenting a doctor accused of supplying doping products to athletes.
The same group also called for the rider to be banned for two years in 2008 for having abnormal hormone levels during his win at the Giro, Di Luca was found not guilty because of insufficient evidence.
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