The use of banned substances in highly competitive Gran Fondo races has raised its ugly head once again this week, with not one but two Italian riders testing positive for EPO (recombinant erythropoietin).
As reported in Dutch language outlet Wielerflits, Felice Giangregorio, now 38, was fist caught using EPO back in 2019, during an out-of-competition check shortly after he had become Italian champion (in the men's 30-34 category) with a victory at the Medio Fondo. Once the test was confirmed he lost his crown and received a four-year ban, which kept him out of the sport until late 2023.
