Italian rider Luca Paolini has been banned for the remainder of the 2015 Tour de France, after testing positive for cocaine.
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A subsequent statement from Paolini’s team read: “Team Katusha has been informed by the UCI that Italian rider Luca Paolini has been notified of an adverse analytical finding”. Cocaine is not permitted in race competition but is not banned out of competition and can remain in a person’s system for up to ten days.
Paolini could now face anything up to a four-year ban if his B-sample tests positive as well, which could spell the end of his 15-year career.
“The presence of cocaine has been detected in a sample”, the team said.
“In accordance with UCI Anti-doping Rules, the rider has been provisionally suspended until the adjudication of the affair”.
Katusha rider Luca Paolini of Italy cycles during the 191.5-km (118.9 miles) 6th stage of the 102nd Tour de France cycling race from Abbeville to Le Havre, France, July 9, 2015.
“We’re very surprised because cocaine is not a substance that improves performance”, team spokesman Philippe Maertens told AFP.
The rider has the right to request and attend the analysis of the B sample.
The news somewhat overshadowed Mark Cavendish’s first stage win in nearly two years on the Tour and 26th in total, taking him into sole possession of third place on the all-time list behind five-time Tour winners Eddy Merckx (34) and Bernard Hinault (28).
During his career, he also secured podium-finishes at the world championships, in the Tour of Flanders and in Milano-San Remo.
On the eve of the race start in the Netherlands, questions were raised when Vincenzo Nibali’s Astana teammate Lars Boom was allowed to start the race despite a low cortisol level, which can indicate cortisone doping but is not a conclusive proof of doping.
He has been removed from the Tour by his Russian team.
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He won a stage at the Vuelta a España in 2006 and another at the Giro d’Italia in 2013.
