The UCI has moved to deny reports printed by elements of the Belgian and French media today that the Astana team was subjected to searches at their hotel at the Tour de Romandie.
The suggestion was that the team was under scrutiny after an unexpectedly strong Ardenees Classic campaign, when Enrico Gasparotto and Maxim Iglinskiy appeared to step up a level on their past form to win the Amstel Gold Race and Liége-Bastogne-Liège respectively.
However UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani has emphasised that nothing out of the ordinary was carried out, and certainly not physical searches.
“It is true that yesterday, before the prologue of the Tour de Romandie, three [anti-doping] people of the UCI visited the Astana team, amongst others. But the purpose of the business was to do classic biological passport control, nothing more,” he told VeloNation.
“UCI people are only supposed to make anti-doping tests. They would never do a search – it is not their job.”
Carpani also dismissed any suggestions that others could have carried out examinations of team items. “We have not been informed of any search made by the police,” he stated.