Paolo Savoldelli has been banned for six months due to his association with notorious doping doctor Michele Ferrari.

However, he has been cleared of charges that stated he doped while riding for the Discovery Channel team in 2005-2006. The Italian Anti-Doping Agency (CONI) had asked in March that he be given 2 and three quarter years ban.

Savoldelli also had to pay 350 Euros to cover the cost of proceedings.

He admitted to paper La Gazzetta dello Sport in February that he had worked with Ferrari, saying: "I collaborated with him in the past, but that was well-known and I didn't hide it."

However the statement made by the 2002 and 2005 Giro champion in February is not beloved to have started the CONI investigation. It is believed that the enquiry was carried out as Savoldelli’s name was a regular occurrence in code in several documents released as part of the USADA’s Reasoned Decision. The 41 year old himself disagreed, saying he believed the investigation took place after comments made by Danilo di Luca.