Philip Nielsen wins the final stage. (Image credit: Wenceslao Rodriguez/ WRS IMAGENES)
Danish cyclist Philip Nielsen tested positive for Clenbuterol at last year's Vuelta Mexico. Nielsen, who no longer has a professional contract, only had the B sample confirmed as positive this month.
Nielsen was riding for Team Concordia at the time, and the team claimed to have never been informed of the positive test, although apparently the rider knew of it.
“It is with great amazement that the doping test only now has come to our attention," team director Carl William Carlsen said in a press release.
Nielsen, who won the final stage of the race in April 2010, returned the positive urine sample after the race. The team management learned of it only last week, “via a rumour.”
The team then contacted Nielsen, who is not with them this season, and he confirmed the positive test. The B sample was opened and also found to be positive.
On Monday the team got in touch with the Danish Cycling Union, which acknowledged the case and passed it along to the Danish Sports Federation.
Concordia was very surprised never to have been officially informed. "We find it strange that we must learn of this case via a rumour, and subsequently must seek factual knowledge."
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Nielsen also issued a press release, in which he said, “I can safely say that I have not taken the substance knowingly. I have been fully acquainted with the team's values and philosophy – under which the team has always said that any kind of doping is cheating and not acceptable under any circumstances.
“I will not come with strange opinions and theories on how I should have ingested the substance, since I do not know it.”
Alessandro Colo of Team ISD-Neri also tested positive for Clenbuterol at the Vuelta Mexico and was given a one-year suspension. Tour de France winner Alberto Contador's case for his positive test for Clenbuterol is still pending.
This is Nielsen's second brush with doping violations In 2005 he was warned and fined for testing positive for Prednisolon and Metaboliten at the Junior Tour de Lorraine.
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