BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco's two-year doping ban to 20 months on Wednesday, its official Website reported.

The 25-year-old was tested positive for Mircera, a new generation of blood-boosting EPO at the Tour de France in 2008.

The cyclist was initially banned for two years by the Italian Anti-Doping Tribunal and he later appealed to the CAS to reduce his ban to one year.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) then admitted Ricco offered information which helped the French authorities in investigating other similar doping cases.

"In its award, the CAS confirmed the existence of the two anti-doping rule violation committed by Ricco. It decided to impose a suspension of 20 months on the athlete which starting on July 18, 2008, which was the maximum sanction which could be ordered on the basis of the new conclusions of the CONI," CAS said in a statement.

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