Italian Mantova investigation moves to next level
In just over one months’ time Damiano Cunego and his former Lampre team-mate Alessandro Ballan will appear before the anti doping prosecutor of the Italian Olympic Committee CONI.
It has been confirmed that both riders will have to face accusations that they used banned substances. The issue relates to the Mantova anti-doping investigation, which has implications for many riders and individuals who worked with the Lampre team.
Cunego won the Giro d’Italia in 2004 and is a three-time winner of the Giro di Lombardia. He finished seventh in this year’s Tour de France.
Ballan won the world road race championships in 2008 and took the Tour of Poland the following season.
Lampre team manager Guiseppe Saronni is also under scrutiny in relation to the matter.
Cunego and Ballan will appear before CONI on September 7th. This will require both riders to either miss the Vuelta a España or to withdraw before the end of the Grand Tour. It runs until September 11th.
In all over 30 individuals have been implicated in the matter.