DOPING POLICE TARGET TEAM FOR TESTING AT LAIGUEGLIA GRAN FONDO

UPDATE 07 MARCH 2024: Team Promotech MG Kvis rider Fabio Cini has tested positive for Stanozolo and been suspended by NADO Italia.

Italy’s national police force specializing in anti-doping, the Carabinieri NAS, showed up unannounced on Sunday at the 26th edition of Gran Fondo International Laigueglia to test six riders on the same amateur team, according to quicicloturismo.it.

It seems the NAS waited for the race to depart before making their presence known, then they asked officials for the starting list, identified riders they were looking for and prepared two hotel rooms to conduct anti-doping tests at the end of the race.

Race organizer Vittorio Mevio commented, “As organizers, we are not notified in advance; simply, shortly after the start, a doctor arrived and explained that these checks needed to be carried out. We collaborate without problems with the authorities: checks are welcome, let them be done; it helps the entire movement.”

In what is surely not a coincidence, all of the riders selected for testing were members of Team Promotech MG Kvis, one of the top amateur teams on the Italian gran fondo circuit. Out of thirteen MG Kvis riders entered in the event, NAS tested six, but did not identify them by name.

The team’s top performers at the race were women’s champion Giulia Medri and perennial podium finisher Federico Pozzetto, who placed third overall.

The Carabinieri NAS is a national police anti-doping unit focused on criminal activity associated with doping and illegal drugs, it is separate and not directly linked with NADO Italia, the national anti-doping agency for sport.

Although not at the event, just one week earlier Fabio Cini, a new MG Kvis recruit who blamed past poor performance on the NADO Italia Registered Testing Pool program, won the Ricordando Marco Pantani race.

Results from the NAS testing are expected within a month.

Photo Credit: Carabinieri NAS

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