25 year-old amateur cyclist Andrea Magnini (ACD BICISPORTEAM FIRENZE) tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol at the 3rd Granfondo del Mugello in Italy on 27 June 2021 and has been provisionally suspended from competition by the Italian National Anti Doping Organization.

Magnini finished second overall out of 626 participants at the race, which he won in 2019.  The route started and finished inside the Mugello International Autodrome and covered 124 kilometres of mountainous roads, including two competitive climbing segments which Magnini completed in 0:35:19, 34 seconds behind the winner.  

In 2018 and  2019 he earned top placings at Santini Gran Fondo Stelvio,  Gran Fondo Tarros Montura, Gran Fond del Capitano and Gran Fondo Firenze. 

Clostebol is a performance enhancing steroid substance banned by the World Anti Doping Organization that mimics testosterone, but unlike testosterone it does not break down into estrogen, which is counterproductive to muscle growth.  Athletes trying to illicitly add muscle mass use Clostebol since it is readily available, keeps testosterone levels high, estrogen low and leaves little trace, but not “no trace.”  Anti-doping tests can now easily isolate and identify Clostebol.

Magnini is the third amateur Italian cyclist in the last month to be suspended after returning a positive test for Clostebol.  Marco Provera was suspended after Gran Fondo Fausto Coppi and Thomas Bergamini after winning Gran Fondo Garda Bottecchia.  

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