On Friday 30 September the Italian National Anti Doping Organization (NADO) provisionally suspended amateur gran fondo athlete Giovanni Battista Vendemia for not providing a biological test sample when requested.

Vendemia, 24, is the third ASD Marrone Autoricamb team rider suspended or banned by NADO in the last two months and is accused of violating World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) article 2.3: “Evading Sample collection; or refusing or failing to submit to Sample collection without compelling justification after notification by a duly authorized Person.”

NADO has also suspended Gran Fondo Strade Bianche champion Onofrio Monzillo for Erythropoietin (EPO) doping. In 2018 Vendemia and Monzillo were teammates on the team ASD Euronix prior joining ASD Marrone Autoricamb.

In July another of Vendemia’s current teammates, Domenico Antonio Nigro, was provisionally suspended after he tested positive for an unnamed banned substance.

A NADO anti-doping court hearing has not yet been scheduled for Vendemia to appear and present his case.

Photos: ASD Marrone Autoricamb