On Friday 36 year-old Anastasia Mazzolin, winner of Gran Fondo Templari in July, was provisionally suspended by the Italian National Anti Doping Agency (NADO) after she allegedly tampered with anti-doping tests and refused to submit a biological sample.

Mazzolin (ASD DANIELI 1914 SPORTING CLUB) is accused of violation anti-doping rules 2.3 (Avoidance, refusal or non-presentation by the Athlete to undergo the taking of the biological sample) and 2.5 (Tampering or attempted tampering with any part of the Doping Control process by an Athlete or another Person.)

Violation of anti-doping rule 2.5 is a rarity, usually it entails intentionally trying to switch, change or modify biological testing samples.

Mazzolin’s most recent gran fondo race was last Sunday, 18 September, when she stood on the podium in second place after the Granfondo Dorelan Reactive women’s race at Lake Garda. She finished 3 minutes behind the winner and 5 minutes ahead of the next rider.

In Italy it is very common at gran fondos races for NADO to perform anti-doping tests on the top overall finishers, as well as random age-group riders.

A NADO hearing has yet to be scheduled for Mazzolin, where she can present her case.

Photos: L’ora del Ciclismo