Italian anti-doping authorities surprise amateur team for testing at Laigueglia Gran Fondo

On Sunday, shortly after the start of the Gran Fondo Laigueglia, the NAS (Carabinieri for Health Protection) presented themselves to the organizers to conduct targeted anti-doping checks. Led by a marshal, the NAS requested the list of participants in the gran fondo from the organizers. They later stopped the athletes identified at the end of the race as first reported by tutobiciweb.it. The checks were carried out in two hotel rooms provided by the organizers.

Six riders tested, all from same team

According to the report, six out of the thirteen MG Kvis riders participating in the event were subjected to testing by NAS, but their identities were not disclosed. Among the team’s standout performers in the race were women’s champion Giulia Medri and consistent podium finisher Federico Pozzetto, who took a third-place overall finish.

Organizers didn’t know in advance

The NAS is a national police anti-doping unit that focuses on investigating criminal activities related to doping and illegal drugs. It operates independently and is not affiliated with NADO Italia, the national anti-doping agency for sports. The results of these checks are expected within a month. When contacted by phone, the president of the Italian Sports Federation, Emiliano Borgna, preferred not to make any statements.

Vittorio Mevio, the organizer of the GF Laigueglia, 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.”

Popular early-season event

Covering a distance of 113 km with gently rolling terrain with some short climbs, the Granfondo Laigueglia is a popular early-season event in the gran fondo calendar. Set against the scenic backdrop of the Riviera delle Palme, a region renowned for tourism, fishing, and cycling, the race unfolds along the waterfront and inland. The warm weather along the Ligurian coast in late February enhances the appeal for Italians to travel to the race.

Other doping incidents at Italian gran fondos

This incident is not the first doping-related incident in Italy at a gran fondo. In 2022, three cyclists from the Italian ASD Marrone Autoricamb amateur gran fondo team faced sanctions for doping infractions. Onofrio Monzillo, aged 34, had already received a three-year suspension in September for the use of the blood booster Erythropoietin (EPO).

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Subsequently, he was handed an additional eight-year ban for further violations, rendering him ineligible to participate in races until 2033. Notably, Monzillo had achieved success with a victory in the 2021 Gran Fondo Strade Bianche. Domenico Antonio Nigro, aged 37 and a teammate of Monzillo, received a five-year ban from the National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO). This sanction was imposed due to a positive test for both testosterone and EPO. Nigro was barred from racing until 2027. The 24-year-old Giovanni Battista Vendemia was handed a three-year ban for refusing to give a sample and is prohibited from racing until 2025.

Motor doping?

In the same year, Stefano Stagni, a 27-year-old former volleyball player and relatively new participant in the world of gran fondos, was under scrutiny for alleged motor doping after winning the prestigious Dolomites Marathon Gran Fondo. According to the Instagram account Solowattagio, Stagni can be seen pressing a button on top of his shifter multiple times as he accelerates. Given that he appears to have used a mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace group, which lacks buttons like the Di2 electronic group, the accusations raised questions about the authenticity of his victory.