Sprint superstar Alessandro Petacchi was cleared of doping by an Italian Cycling Federation disciplinary committee on Tuesday.
The Italian Olympic Committee's doping prosecutor had asked for a one-year ban for the cyclist for testing 'not negative' for a banned stimulant during the 2007 Giro D'Italia.
The 33-year-old has a medical certificate authorising him to use the substance, salbutamol, for his asthma condition.
The committee accepted Petacchi's defence that the high levels of salbutamol registered in the test were accidentally caused by the cyclist taking too many puffs on his inhaler.
"This is one of the most beautiful victories of my life," said Petacchi, who burst into tears when he heard the news of his acquittal.
"I don't wish anyone the suffering I have had to go through.
"I always said that I had done nothing and now I come out of this with my head high".
Nicknamed 'Ale-Jet', Petacchi took over the mantle of world's top sprinter from fellow Italian Mario 'Lion King' Cipollini three years ago.
His explosive speed has seen him take several stage victories in all three of the Grand Tours (Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana).
In 2004 he won a record nine stages at the Giro d'Italia and in 2005 scored his first victory in a major Classic race, triumphing at the Milan-San Remo.
He withdrew from the 2006 Giro d'Italia after crashing during the third stage. It was subsequently discovered that he had finished the stage with a fractured kneecap.
He won five stages in this year's Giro but was unable to start the 2007 Tour de France because of the doping charges.
Italy's sports authorities are cracking down on the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Former pole vault world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco and 2006 Giro winner Ivan Basso were recently given maximum two-year bans for doping.
Danilo Di Luca, the 2007 Giro winner, has been summoned to face doping charges too.
Petacchi said his acquittal would boost the credibility of Italy's anti-doping campaign.
"It shows that there is justice, that there are those who are guilty and those who are not," he said.
"I hadn't done anything wrong and this decision shows that, on one hand, the fight against doping is just, and that, on the other, the situation has improved a great deal".
