In 2007, Di Luca was suspended for three months towards the end of the season, for visiting previously banned doctor Carlo Santuccione, which later escalated into the Oil for Drugs case.

[4] In 2009, at the Giro d'Italia, Di Luca tested positive on two occasions[5] for CERA,[6] and was given a backdated – to July 2009 – two-year ban in February 2010, which was later reduced to nine months.

Born in Spoltore, province of Pescara, Di Luca began his professional career in 1998 in the Riso Scotti team.

His first victory came in the first stage of the UCI ProTour race Vuelta al País Vasco, which he won overall after defeating Aitor Osa in the final time trial.

He won the Amstel Gold Race and La Flèche Wallonne, taking the ProTour leader's white jersey.

He recovered to compete in the 2006 Vuelta a España, winning the fifth stage and holding the lead (ceding it to Janez Brajkovič).

Italian authorities are determining if they are a consequence of racing at a high level for three weeks or some kind of masking agent.

[14] On 28 September, Di Luca withdrew from the UCI road championship calling his treatment "a scandal" after doping allegations.

On 1 February 2010, the Italian Olympic committee (CONI) suspended him for two years (effective as of 22 July 2009) for the Giro doping incident.

CONI also announced the reduction of Di Luca's fine, from €280,000 to €106,400,[8] but the UCI contends that he will still have to pay the full amount based on when his doping incident occurred.

[2] In April 2013, Di Luca signed for the Vini Fantini–Selle Italia team, who were subsequently awarded a wildcard place to race in the Giro d'Italia.

On 24 May, while Di Luca was riding in the Giro, the UCI announced that he had had an adverse finding in an out-of-competition doping test at his home on 29 April.