Cycling news - Astana respond to Jakob Fuglsang and Michele Ferrari claims

A report supposedly written by the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) was leaked to Danish newspaper Politiken, detailing potential links between Fugslang and the doctor who helped Lance Armstrong to a number of his now-scrubbed Tour de France victories.

Ferrari has been banned from working in any kind of sport since 2012 after he failed to contest a charge from USADA accusing him of administering and trafficking prohibited substances.

The report alleges Ferrari was at the 2019 Vuelta a Catalunya with Fuglsang’s Astana team and also that his team-mate Alexey Lutsenko was present at a meeting between Fuglsang and Ferrari in Monaco, where Fuglsang lives. However, there is currently no evidence to suggest Lutsenko was working with the doctor.

"Astana Pro Team is committed to the fight against doping in sport," a statement from Astana read. "The team requires from all its affiliated riders that they comply all time with all obligations under anti-doping regulations, including the prohibition to be associated with banned individuals or doctors.

"The team does not collaborate with any suspicious doctor, such as Dr Michele Ferrari. The riders are not authorized to consult any doctors external to the team in order to perform any activity, or to be prescribed any diet or treatment, related to their performance.

"The team is in contact with the UCI and CADF in order to know more; it will collaborate with any inquiry that could be opened by CADF or the UCI.

"However, for the time being, no procedure has been initiated against any rider affiliated to the team. The Astana Pro Team trusts that if the CADF had any evidence of wrongdoing by any rider of the team, disciplinary proceedings would have been immediately initiated in accordance with anti-doping regulations and the World Anti-doping Code."

And the rider also spoke out about the accusations, saying:

Fuglsang also added: "I am extremely concerned that such rumours may spread in the press."

Ferrari also denied any current links with Astana, posting a statement on his website.

"I have not had any relationship with athletes from Team Astana for over 10 years," he said. "I have never been on a scooter/motorbike in my entire life, let alone motorpacing a cyclist."

The UCI have acknowledged the report and will launch an investigation into the matter.