Paris' Châtenay-Malabry lab confirmed Danilo Di Luca failed doping controls for blood booster Erythropoietin (EPO) - CERA in a counter-analysis, according to Italy's ANSA news ag🐽ency. Last month, the International Cycling Unio🌌n (UCI) announced the Italian cyclist tested positive twice during the May's Giro d'Italia stage race.

Di Luca finished sec🐽ond overall in the Giro d'Italia, 41 seconds behind winner Denis Menchov. His two positive doping controls came from blood samples on May 20 (s🌞tage 11) and May 28 (stage 18).

He gave a total of five blood and 12 urine samples during the three-wee🀅k Giro 🌜d'Italia.

The Châtenay-Malabry lab did the original testing on Di Luca's blood samples. Di Luca was not present for the counter-analysis of the B samples Tuesday in Châtenay-Malabry, in the suburbs of Paris. Doctor Santo Davide Ferrara, a medical expert༺ at the Padova University, represented him.

The lab mailed a photograph of the results to a World Ant🍰i-Doping Agency (WADA) lab in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday for validation. Châtenay-Malabry received the validation and closed the exami🐻nation last night.

A WADA lab in Barcelona, Spain, validated the origin🌌al testing on the A samples.

Di Luca is ready to argue the results, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. His lawyer Ernesto De Toni plans t⭕o chꦓallenge the methods used by the Châtenay-Malabry lab.

🐲Floyd Landis unsuccessfully challenged the Ch&acir🍎c;tenay-Malabry lab when he tested positive for testosterone in the 2006 Tour de France.

Di Luca previously served a three-month suspension in 2007 for visiting banned sports doctor Carlo Santuccione in 2004. The Italian cycling federation (FCI) suspended Sant👍uccione for five years in 1995 and for life in 2007.

The Italian Olympic🦂 Committee (CONI) will review Di Luca's Giro d'Itꦛalia case and should request a two-year suspension for Di Luca.