Italian rider Massimo Giunti has apparently admitted his guilt after being announced as positive for EPO, and has been fired by the Androni Diquigiovanni team.
A press release issued yesterday by Gianni Savio’s squad states that the rider has indicated that he took the substance in question and, as a result, the team will not wait for the analysis of the B sample.
“Following the positive case of the rider Massimo Giunti, as reported this morning by the UCI, [the team has] taken the decision to dismiss him with immediate effect, as established by the Health Code of Procedure, in that the rider has confirmed his guilt,” it said in a statement.
“This is an episode that has left us completely puzzled because our team has carefully addressed the doping problem with educational methods (anti-doping meetings) and punitive damages (dismissal of the contract and a financial penalty). It is a partial defeat but one which certainly will not stop us in the battle that we will continue to fight against doping.”
Giunti previously raced with teams such as Fasso Bartolo and Miche Silver Cross. The 35 year old earned a contract with Savio’s team after he clocked up some good results last season, including third overall in the Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale Coppi-Bartali, fourth in the General Classification Settimana Ciclista Lombarda, fifth in the Giro dell'Appennino and third in the GP Città di Camaiore.
This season, he was fourth and ninth on stages of the Giro di Sardegna. He was targeted for testing after his biological passport revealed suspicious blood levels, and the examination in question was done on day one of the Sardinian race.
Savio has said that the team will demand that Giunti pays one year’s salary as a fine. He doesn’t expect that the team’s invitation to the Giro d’Italia will be affected by the positive case.