Third suspicious sample for Di Luca?

Italian rider Danilo Di Luca continues to deny using CERA, but it has emerged that a third sample taken from the rider during this year’s Giro has aroused suspicions that he used the substance. Two of Di Luca's Giro samples were declared to be positive for CERA last week.

The third test concerned was taken on May 31st, the day of the final time trial, and was analysed in the Chatenay Malabry laboratory in Paris. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the lab has not confirmed the third result as an analytical positive. It has, however, finished its analyses of the B samples and have send them to Vienna and Montreal for confirmation.

The result of those is expected to be released on Friday or Saturday.

Di Luca has continued to train and maintains his innocence. "Even if the results of the counter-analysis are positive, I will continue with my battle as regards the methods used.”

Meanwhile UCI President Pat McQuaid has dismissed a web report which claimed that Di Luca’s B samples were judged negative by the laboratory in Barcelona.

“That’s just a rumour – I don’t know how Barcelona was mentioned," said McQuaid. "The samples were analysed in Paris and we have no news yet as to those results,” he said.