Mauro Santambrogio handed three-month ban for racing in fixed-gear criterium

Mauro Santambrogio has been handed a three-month ban after he failed to declare his historic doping violations and raced in a fixed-gear criterium in Italy.

Details of the ban were posted online by an Italian journalist, claiming that Santambrogio's previous doping convictions had not been raised on his application to race in the crit, with riders who have historic doping bans apparently not allowed to participate in Italian amateur races.

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The document states Santambrogio competed in a fixed-gear event held in Rome on June 8 2019 for the Mitchumm team, a bike company based in Como, where he failed to declare his previous doping convictions upon signing up for the race.

The 35-year-old Italian was originally banned for testing positive for EPO at the 2013 Giro d'Italia, where he had won stage 14 and finished ninth overall. His ban was reduced after he co-operated with the UCI's reform commission.

However, Santambrogio was subsequently handed a three-year ban in 2015 after a positive test for testerone in 2014, while he was still serving his previous ban.

At the time Santambrogio had said that he was prescribed testosterone for erectile fertility issues as he and his partner were trying to have a baby.

The Italian then said he respected the UCI's sentence and he would not be returning to racing following his ban.

As well as the three-month ban handed down by the governing body, they've also fined Santambrogio €500, while the Mitchum team were also given a €500 fine, according to the document. Meanwhile, Alessandro Tino who runs the team was issued with a warning.

Mauro Santambrogio has been contacted for comment.