The first details emerge about the affair he is involved in Andrea Piccolo. As is known, late yesterday evening the EF Education-EasyPost announced the dismissal of the 23-year-old because, upon his return to Italy from Colombia (where his girlfriend lives and where he often trains), he was stopped by the authorities on suspicion of carrying growth hormone, a banned substance whose sole possession can lead to a long doping ban. The rider was also suspended as a precautionary measure by the National Anti-Doping Tribunal for the violation of articles 2.2 and 2.6, namely “possession of a prohibited substance or method” and “use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method”.
Therefore very serious accusations and for which Piccolo will obviously have the opportunity to explain and defend himself, but in the meantime the site Escape Collective contacted the general manager of the US team, Jonathan Vaughterswho shared a message sent to him by his now ex-runner: “Jonathan, I’m speaking to you sincerely because I have already lost everything and I am aware of it… I brought four drugs from Colombia that I don’t want to name, I want to take responsibility for this… They found them and confiscated them at the airport.” Asking forgiveness for this, the 23-year-old then added: “I will definitely try to resolve this issue because I did not test positive for any substance“.
In the same statement issued last night, EF revealed that Piccolo had already been suspended in March for taking a sleeping pill that was not authorized by the team (although legal). Vaughters always revealed to Escape Collective that the rider had apologized for this and that, after the suspension, he had been given a second chance through participation in the Giro d’Italia, where the 2001 class had highlighted himself by breaking away in some stages and taking fourth placed in Rapolano Terme before retiring due to a fall in the 19th stage.
