Two of the Italian cyclists identified in cyclings new rigorous anti-doping biological passport program have been suspended by their teams, officials said on Wednesday.

The decision concerning the two riders, Pietro Caucchioli (Lampre) and Francesco de Bonis (Diquigiovanni), was taken on a provisional basis following the announcement by the International Cycling Union that they would be subject to disciplinary action, the teams indicated.

Caucchioli’s problems originated when he gave a blood test on the eve of the Tour of Poland in September last year, before he joined the team, a Lampre spokesman said. “In terms of the details in our possession there were no anomalies in 2009,” the spokesman added.

Diquigiovanni also claimed the problem with their rider originated before he joined the outfit.

The Italian pair, along with former world road race champion Igor Astarloa and two other Spanish cyclists, were identified by the UCI due to irregularities from blood samples on their respective passports.

The five had “violated the anti-doping rules on the basis of information from blood profiles on their biological passport,” the ICU said.

Pietro Caucchioli

Francesco de Bonis