Alessandro A. rode to a strong third place in the Masters category of the amateur race in Bedizzole. According to media reports from Tuttobici and other Italian cycling media, a motor built into the seat tube helped him to do so. After the race, Andreoli and the other placed riders were asked to undergo an engine check. The suspicion was raised after a Inspection with a thermal imaging camera was created.
The cheating would be one of the first proven cases of motorised doping in amateur sport in Italy - 19 months after cross rider Femke Van Den Driessche was convicted during the 2016 Cross World Championships. The Belgian U23 champion took part in the race on a compliant bike, but a replacement motorised bike was found in her team's van. Van Den Driessche was banned for six years and must pay a fine of 50,000 Swiss francs. You can find out more about the van Den Driessche case and the technical possibilities of motorised doping here here.
