ROME (AP) — Italian cyclist Franco Pellizotti has been banned from the Giro d’Italia due to irregular blood levels.
Italian cycling federation president Renato Di Rocco announced Monday that the climbing specialist has failed the International Cycling Union’s biological passport program. Di Rocco did not give anymore details.
The Gazzetta dello Sport reported earlier that the case related to a drug test just before last year’s Tour de France.
Pellizotti, who rides for the Liquigas team, won the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey at last year’s Tour. He finished third in the 2009 Giro a couple months earlier.
This year’s Giro starts Saturday.
