A nine-month ban. According to a report on Gazzetta.it, that is the ban that the Swiss anti-doping authorities have decided for Diego Ulissi. Having tested positive for salbutamol on May 21 at the end of a stage of the Giro d’Italia, the Lampre-Merida rider (who lives in Switzerland and rides under a Swiss license) may be back in competition at the end of March as the ban is expected to start from June 25.

If the rumours are confirmed, Ulissi will be allowed to do almost a full season with Lampre-Merida who have selected him as one of the team leaders alongside Rui Costa and Sacha Modolo. He briefly returned to racing in September, riding at the Coppa Bernocchi, before the UCI suspended him provisionally.