Matteo Rabottini handed two-year ban for doping

Matteo Rabottini has been given a two-year ban by the UCI after testing positive for EPO in August 2014 during an out-of-competition test.

The Italian, who rode for Neri Sottoli at the time of his ban, will serve a ban until May 6 2016, with the UCI reducing his ban by three months for his cooperation with anti-doping authorities.

The 27-year-old, who won a stage of the Giro d'Italia and the mountains classification in 2012, initially denied taking the substance but was subsequently suspended by his team in September and withdrawn from the Italian national squad for the world championships.

The Italian Pro Continental team, now riding under the title sponsor SouthEast, was also suspended from the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) after two positive tests in 2013 for Danilo di Luca and Mauro Santambrogio, in addition to Rabottini.

The suspension will remain in place until at least October 2015 when the MPCC meets for its general assembly.