Image 1 of 5 Francesco Reda (Team Idea 2010 ASD) celebrates victory (Image credit: Sportsfile ) Image 2 of 5 Francesco Reda (Team Idea 2010 ASD) (Image credit: Sportsfile ) Image 3 of 5 Francesco Reda (Team Idea 2010 ASD), Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) and Diego Ulissi (Lampre - Merida). (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 4 of 5 Francesco Reda is off for a walk with his Bianchi Sempre Pro (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 5 of 5 Francesco Reda (Quick Step) (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

Francesco Reda has been banned for eight years and ordered to pay a sanction of 600 Euro after testing positive for EPO at the 2015 Italian national championships.

Reda finished a surprise second in the race, behind Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and ahead of Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) while riding for the small Continental Team Idea. He has lost that second place and been ordered to pay 400 Euro costs. Reda’s ban will end on November 14, 2023.

This was his second anti-doping offence. He was suspended for 14 months in 2013 for refusing to undergo an anti-doping test while riding for the Androni-Giocattoli team. He was banned for two years but secured a reduction in his sentence after giving evidence to the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) created by the UCI to reveal details of doping in professional cycling.

Reda raced for six months in the 2015 season. He won a stage at the An Post Ras stage race in Ireland before the Italian national championships but was ejected from the race on stage two for taking a tow from a vehicle.