Juan Sebastian Molano pulled from Giro d’Italia due to ‘unusual physiological results’

Juan Sebastian Molano has been pulled from the Giro d’Italia due to “unusual physiological results.”

UAE Team Emirates announced that the Colombian had returned the results during internal testing.

Molano was suspended by the team ahead of stage four of the Giro while further testing is carried out.

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A statement from UAE Team Emirates, released on Tuesday (May 14), said: “After tests performed under the team’s strict and sophisticated internal monitoring system, UAE Team Emirates announces that some seemingly unusual physiological results have come back for the rider Juan Sebastian Molano.

“Following team policy concerning the protection of our athletes’ health, the Colombian will be suspended to undergo further testing in the following week, in collaboration with the UCI, as we try to determine the cause of these unusual results.”

Molano joined UAE Team Emirates at the start of 2019, making the step up from Colombian Professional Continental outfit Manzana Postobon.

Announcing his signing, Molano said: “To be part of a team like UAE Team Emirates is a dream come true in my career.

"To get to this point means that my hard work is paying off, and for that reason I feel calm, motivated, and ready to give my best in the team.”

The 24-year-old has taken 10 wins in his career, including the Tour of China overall last season and a stage of Tour Colombia in February.

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He finished Tour Colombia 94th overall, before going on to ride Omloop Het Nieuwsblad which he did not finish.

Molano started the Giro di Sicilia but again did not finish before riding the Tour of Turkey, taking sixth on stage four.

He placed 156th in the opening time trial of the Giro d’Italia, followed by 148th on stage two and 21st on stage three.

Molano is the second rider to leave the Giro after Nippo-Vini Fantini-Faizanè’s Hiroki Nishimura finished outside the time cut on the stage one TT.