From red jersey to handcuffs: former EF rider arrested over counterfeit banknotes
The Italian Andrea Picollo, who briefly wore the Vuelta a España’s red jersey in 2023 and last raced in 2024 at the Giro d’Italia, has been arrested in Naples.
Piccolo has been arrested by police in Naples, who found the Italian in possession of counterfeit banknotes.
According to Fanpage.it, the 24-year-old Piccolo was driving a Porsche Macan, with San Marino license plates, which drew the attention of the Carabinieri. Following a check of the vehicle, the Carabinieri found a package containing €2,000 in counterfeit €20 notes under the steering column.
Following the search and the discovery of the counterfeit notes, Piccolo was arrested and taken to a holding cell pending trial. He has not commented publicly on the matter. Two other men were present in the vehicle alongside Piccolo, aged 23 and 56, respectively.
According to Fanpage, RAI and Il Mattino, Piccolo was also charged with unauthorised possession of an offensive object alongside the other two men after a telescopic baton was found in the vehicle.
The Italian last raced in 2024 following the termination of his contract with EF Education-EasyPost.
Most notably, Piccolo led the Vuelta a España for a stage in the 2023 edition of the race, taking the red jersey on stage 2 in his Grand Tour debut.
On June 21, 2024, Piccolo was approached by Italian authorities on suspicion that he had entered the country while transporting human growth hormones, and EF Education-EasyPost announced the same day that the Italian rider’s contract had been terminated immediately.
Piccolo had previously been suspended in March of that year after taking a legal sleeping aid that wasn’t approved by the American team, and it was reported to the UCI by EF Education-EasyPost.
Piccolo returned following his suspension as EF stated they “were unable to terminate his contract at the time”, and the Italian’s final race was the 2024 Giro d’Italia, his second Grand Tour, where Piccolo abandoned the race on stage 19, before his eventual contract termination.
He later made headlines after becoming an OnlyFans model alongside his South American girlfriend, and now finds himself back in the spotlight following his arrest in Naples over counterfeit banknotes.
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