Denmark's Saxo Bank team issued a statement today denying its riders used motorised bikes. Its statement follows rumours that its star rider Fabian Cancellara used a motorised bike and today's news that the International Cycling Union (UCI) will meet to discus the subject.
"Team Saxo Bank rejects all insinuations and accusations that have been made in the media regarding Fabian Cancellara's alleged use of an electric motor," read a press release. "Team Saxo Bank is strongly opposed to any form of cheating and there is absolutely no truth to this story. There was not and never has been a motor in any team Saxo Bank rider's bike."
Italian newspaper Il Giornale brought attention to battery-powered bikes two weeks ago and then Italian broadcaster Rai showed a motorised bike during one of its Giro d'Italia programmes. A YouTube internet video showing Cancellara attacking in the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix races followed. Its author pointed to strange finger movement by Cancellara that supposedly triggered the motor ahead of his winning attacks in the races.
"We are confident that the majority of those people who have come across this video see it for exactly what it is: A creative, amateur artist's attempt to express a purely hypothetical idea that has no basis of fact or truth. It is a work of fiction, disguised as documentary," continued the press release.
"We are confident that the public can see through the nonsense this myth has presented and respect Fabian for what he is. A true champion."
UCI president, Pat McQuaid denied that there have been cases where cyclist have used motorised bikes and denied that it is investigating Cancellara.
"In any event," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport today, "there will be a meeting Monday at the headquarters in Aigle between our experts and representatives of the manufacturers."
Battery-powered motors have been around since 2008 and they can be purchased from German company Gruber Assist. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that it produces 100 watts for up to 90 minutes and fits completely in the seat tube.