Diego Ulissi's return to competition was a short one. After having finished today's Coppa Bernocchi, he learnt that the UCI has asked Swiss Cycling to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him and Lampre-Merida have again put him on inactive status.

Diego Ulissi returned a positive test for Salbutamol at the Giro d'Italia which prompted Lampre-Merida to sideline one of their star riders. Last week, however, the team decided to allow him to return to competition and this week he was set to ride all three races in the Trittico Lombardo race series.

Ulissi only did the first race, Coppa Bernocchi, before he was sidelined again. The UCI has asked Swiss Cycling to initiate legal proceedings in the case and have issued the following statement.

“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has requested Swiss Cycling, National Federation which delivered the licence to the rider, to instigate disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Diego Ulissi.

“The charge ensues following the results management process according to which the UCI asserted that Mr. Ulissi has committed an anti-doping rule violation based on an adverse analytical finding of salbutamol (beta2-agonist / banned specified substance) in the sample collected in the scope of the 2014 Giro d’Italia on 21 May 2014.”

An adverse analytical finding for Salbutamol doesn't mandate a provisional suspension but as Lampre-Merida is a member of the Movement for a Credible Cycling, they have been forced to act. This evening they again decided to sideline Ulissi.

“Immediately after the first race in which Diego Ulissi has taken part after his forced stop, the UCI notified the cyclist his referral to the disciplinary commission of Swiss Cycling,” they explained in a press release.

“In the next weeks the rider and his team will finally have a final view about the long procedure concerning this topic.

“Respecting the internal health code of the team and the rules of the MPCC, with the presence of the referral Ulissi won’t take part in the next races.”