A bold shift just occurred: Unibet Rose Rockets have terminated the contract of Italian rider Giovanni Carboni amid reported irregularities in his biological passport, abruptly ending his tenure with the team.
The team—originally founded in the Netherlands as Unibet Tietema Rockets and now registered in France—announced the decision via social media. Carboni, 30, had previously been provisionally suspended earlier in the year after the UCI flagged unexplained fluctuations in his biological passport.
Biological passport irregularities can signal potential doping activity, though no final ruling from cycling’s governing body has been issued at this time.
Internal review tops the team’s reasoning, separate from any formal UCI discipline
The team stressed that no guilt has been formally established by authorities, but said an internal inquiry led them to end their partnership with the rider. In their own words,
“Notwithstanding the presumption of innocence regarding the UCI matter, our internal review confirmed a violation of the rider’s duty of transparency and loyalty. While this decision stands apart from the UCI’s disciplinary process, it underlines our uncompromising commitment to integrity, transparency and open communication, in line with our values and our status as an MPCC member.”
This phrasing clarifies that the termination is a consequence of internal standards and expectations, rather than a formal doping sanction from the UCI.
Backstory tied to the previous season
The UCI-linked irregularities trace back to the 2024 season, when Carboni raced for the Japanese continental squad JCL Team UKYO. At present, the UCI has not announced any further sanctions or a revised timeline for the case.
The future of Carboni in professional cycling remains uncertain while the biological passport matter remains unresolved, leaving fans and analysts watching closely for developments.
