UAE Team Emirates on Tuesday withdrew Colombian cyclist Juan Sebastian Molano from the Giro d’Italia after internal tests gave “unusual physiological results”.
The team released a statement ahead of Tuesday's fourth stage, a 235-kilometre ride to Frascati, that Molano would be provisionally suspended to “undergo further testing in collaboration with the International Cycling Union”.
"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," the statement said.
UAE suspend Molano after some unusual fidings were found by team’s own controls pic.twitter.com/tL3oay6jN3
— José Been (@TourDeJose) May 14, 2019
"Following Team policiy concerning the protection of our athletes' health, the Colombian will be suspended to undergo further testing in the following weeks, in collaboration with the UCI, as we try to determine the cause of these unusual results.
In order to protect the right to privacy, no further information regarding the matter will be released until results from the necessary tests come back."
News of Molano's suspension threatened to overshadow Tuesday's Stage 4 of the Giro in which UAE Team Emirates' Diego Ulissi took third place behind winner Richard Carapaz (Movistar Team) and Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal).
The result sees Ulissi jump eight places in the General Classification and break into the top five, where he sits 44 seconds behind the leader, Primoz Roglic of Team Jumbo-Visma.
Wednesday's Stage 5 will see riders start with an uphill battle, as they set out on the 140km route from Frascati to Terracina. There are two early climbs, with another at just over the half way stage and should the breakaway be in form, they just might have the chance to steal a stage win.
