Amateur Cyclist Busted a Second Time for Doping with EPO in Gran Fondo Racing

A high-profile EPO case involving a top Italian amateur rider has reignited concerns over doping in Europe’s booming gran fondo scene.

Felice Giangregorio, 38, is provisionally suspended after testing positive for recombinant erythropoietin (EPO), Italian anti-doping authorities confirmed.

The case is significant because Giangregorio, a top performer on the Italian circuit, previously served a four-year ban after a positive test in October 2019, also for EPO. The story was first reported on Gran Fondo Daily.

It is the latest doping scandal to hit the thriving amateur racing scene.

It is difficult to determine how widespread doping is across gran fondo and amateur racing. Amateur and gran fondo riders are bound by the same World Anti-Doping Agency rules as professional athletes.

Most competitors in these mass-participation events race clean, but a series of recent high-profile cases is putting a spotlight on the niche.

Gran fondo racing is one of Europe’s largest amateur sports, with hundreds of events drawing massive fields across Italy, France, Spain, and Germany, often including former professionals.

Prize money is limited, but riders compete for prestige and amateur glory.

American masters world champion banned

Testing remains inconsistent and is often limited by resources, though most national federations conduct some controls during the season.

Intelligence-led targeting is also used to flag suspicious performances.

Last year, American amateur Matthew Clark, 41, of North Salt Lake City, tested positive during the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Lorne, Australia.

Clark won the men’s 40-44 time trial title on October 16, but a same-day control detected anabolic androgenic steroids.

Clark was so fast in his category that he ranked third overall among 255 riders across all age groups.

He initially received a four-year sanction, but it was later reduced by one year after admitting the violation within a prescribed time limit.

Clark was disqualified from his world title and rainbow jersey, but his U.S. national masters road title from July 2025, remains valid because it predates the positive test.

The latest case in Italy proves that anti-doping agencies are at least keeping an eye on gran fondo racing.