Italian rider Eddy Mazzoleni has been banned for two years for his involvement in a long-running doping scandal

The Italian Cycling Federation said in a statement the 34-year-old was guilty of "attempted use of (a) forbidden substance and/or method".

It said the charges stemmed from the Oil for Drugs investigation into the activities of Carlo Santuccione, a doctor accused of supplying doping products to athletes.

Mazzoleni, who came third in the 2007 Giro d'Italia, was forced to quit the Astana team last year because of the probe.

Another Italian cyclist, Domenico Quagliariello, was banned for life because his involvement in the affair was his second offence, the statement said.

Giro champion Danilo Di Luca is waiting to hear the result of his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a three-month ban handed down in October for his involvement with Santuccione.

Italy's former pole vault world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco is also waiting for the result of an appeal to CAS against a two-year ban for links to the doctor.

Reuters