Giro d'Italia - Milram suspend Petacchi over dope test

Eurosport - Thu, 28 Jun 14:28:00 2007

Giro d'Italia - Italian Alessandro Petacchi has been suspended by his Milram team following a non-negative doping test on this year's Giro d'Italia.

CYCLING 2007 Giro d'Italia Milram Petacchi - 0

"This is not an official suspension but the ProTour code of conduct envisages an automatic suspension in this kind of case," Milram said in a statement on Thursday.

Milram media officer Andrea Agostini told Reuters by phone: "We hope to see the Italian authorities on Monday so that his case can be cleared before we head to the Tour de France. Otherwise he would be suspended."

He said that in the meantime then Petacchi remained very much part of the Milram team.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) confirmed to Italian authorities on Tuesday that the 33-year-old sprinter had tested for salbutamol.

A non-negative test means that a substance has been detected which could be explained by the rider holding a medical certificate.

Petacchi, who won five stages of the Giro, is permitted to put a set amount of salbutamol in his asthma inhalers and ahead of the start of the Tour de France on July 7 is desperate to show any overuse was simply an oversight.

The Italian is one of the favourites to win the green jersey awarded to the best sprinter on the Tour.

- REUTERS -

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