Vini Fantini-BePink rider Linda Laporta has tested positive for the Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) Enobosarm, also known as ostarine.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) announced the finding on Monday, revealing that Italian racer Laporta returned an adverse analytical finding for the substance on the opening stage of the UAE Tour Women on February 5.
The test was conducted as part of an intelligence-led mission, the ITA stated.
Laporta finished 50th at the UAE Tour and has since raced the Volta Valenciana Femenina and Trofeo Oro in Euro. This season marked the 26-year-old's third in the professional peloton, with Laporta having previously raced for BTC City Ljubljana.
The ITA stated that Laporta has been provisionally suspended from racing in accordance with UCI anti-doping rules. She has the right to request analysis of her B-sample and "will have the opportunity to present her explanations for the result," the ITA said.
"The ITA reports that a sample collected during an intelligence-led testing mission conducted by the ITA during the 2026 UAE Tour Women on 5 February 2026 from Linda Laporta, a cyclist from Italy, has returned an AAF¹ for the Enobosarm (Ostarine)," the ITA announced.
"The substance is listed under class S1.2 Other Anabolic Agents according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. It is prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) and is classified as a non-specified substance. Ostarine has been shown to increase lean body mass and promote muscle growth.
"...In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and Article 7.4.1 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, a mandatory provisional suspension has been imposed on the rider. In line with the applicable regulations, the rider has the right to challenge the provisional suspension and ask for its lifting."
Last year, Laporta made her debut at the Giro d'Italia Women, finishing the race in 73rd. She finished the season strongly, placing in the top 10 at the Trofeo Tessile & Moda Donne and Veneto Women. She now faces a multi-year ban if her B-sample confirms the positive test result.
Several riders have previously been banned from racing after testing positive for Ostarine.
In 2014, Vacansoleil-DCM rider Nikita Novikov was handed a two-year ban after returning an out-of-competition positive for the substance in May 2013. Vini Zabù rider Matteo Spreafico left the 2020 Giro d'Italia after returning two positives during the race. He was later handed a three-year ban and has since returned to racing with Italian Continental squad Mg.K Vis.
