Di Luca free to race with Katusha, UCI says

The UCI announced today that it has cleared Danilo Di Luca to compete again after receiving a payment of 173,600 Euros from the Italian as a fine for his 2009 Giro d'Italia EPO positive.

However, Di Luca must pay another 8,000 Euro in procedural costs by 11 February, the UCI said.

Di Luca tested positive for EPO CERA on stages 11 and 18 of the 2009 Giro d'Italia, in which he placed second to Denis Menchov. He had been subjected to targeted testing by the UCI as a result of his biological passport's blood profile.

It was the Italian's second doping offence after he served a three-month suspension in the 'Oil for Drugs' affair for working with a banned doctor, Carlo Santuccione. Di Luca received a reduced sentence after an original recommendation for a three-year suspension was first dropped to two years before being reduced down to nine months after he cooperated with the Italian anti-doping authorities.

The UCI imposed the 173,600 Euro fine based on his salary and the length of his ban.

Di Luca signed with the Katusha team for the 2011 season.