Spaniard Ricardo Serrano was suspended by his Fuji Servetto team after the International Cycling Union (UCI), announced Wednesday that it will open a disciplinary investigation based on suspicious fluctuations in the cyclist’s biological passport.
“According to information received, the irregularities are found in blood samples of controls from 2008 when Serrano was part of another team,” the Fuji-Servetto ProTour Team said on their website. The team noted that since the rider had been a part of the team no significant variations were found the rider’s blood passport by the team’s internal controls.
The fact that the results are from tests done when the 30-year-old rode for the Tinkoff Credit Systems will likely offer little help for team that has struggled to gain credibility in the peloton. Born out of the Sauniel Duval team, the home of two CERA cases that rocked the 2008 Tour de France, Fuji-Servetto has already had it’s share of problems riding in the big races.
Wednesday Italian cyclists Pietro Caucchioli (Lampre) and Francesco De Bonis (Diquigiovanni) were also suspended by their teams based on the UCI communication.
Former world champion Igor Astarloa (Amica Chips) and Ruben Lobato (no current team) were the other two cyclists listed.