Russian federation acts on 3 cases

Cyclingnews.com reports that the Russian cycling federation has acted on 3 cases: Ilnur Zakarin, 19 years old and European junior time-trial champion in 2007, was suspended two years after testing positive for the forbidden anabolic methandienone. The product introduced in the 1960s was very popular with bodybuilders for building up body mass. It has been banned in the United States, but is still readily available in Russia.

Former Russian mountain bike champion Ykaterina Melnikova, 22, was also banned for two years for the same product.

Mountain biker Kiril Bozhenko, 22, was banned for one year after testing positive for carphedon. The Russian-developed drug is said to increase physical stamina and improve tolerance for cold.

Russian athletes in other disciplines have been suspended for the use of carphedon in 2006 and 2008. In cycling, German Danilo Hondo was suspended after testing positive for it in 2005.

Hondo's redemption

Danilo Hondo has redeemed himself in the Tour de Langkawi:
After signaling his intentions with a solo breakaway earlier in the day's stage, sprinter Danilo Hondo (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) claimed his first victory in two seasons. The Malaysian stage race is the German's first event since returning from a doping suspension after testing positive for carphedon at the 2005 Vuelta a Murcia.

Anton Reshetnikov and Elena Kuchinskaya test positive

Who? What? More dopes. Via CN: Two young Russian riders have returned a positive doping test result and will receive a two-year suspension by the International Cycling Union (UCI) according to Russian Sports news agency All Sport. Anton Reshetnikov and Elena Kuchinskaya respectively used forbidden substances Carphedon and Furosemide, doping tests undertaken in July revealed. Still, the Russian Cycling Federation was advised of these results only in September, which left some time to the athletes to score results.