Rusvelo's Kaikov fails drug test

Valery Kaikov (Rusvelo) has failed an out of competition drug test and has been fired by his team with immediate effect. The rider tested positive for GW1516. The UCI have since moved to suspend Kaikov.

"Rusvelo team notes regretfully that the out-of-competition drugs test for rider Valery Kaikov gave a positive result," the team announced in a statement Thursday morning.

"Immediately Kaikov's contract with the Russian team has been terminated and UCI Administration has been notified about this incident."

In a press release the UCI stated: "The decision to provisionally suspend this rider was made in response to a report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Köln indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of metabolite GW1516 sulfone – Metabolic Modulator in a urine sample collected from him in an out of competition test on 17th March 2013."

"The provisional suspension of Mr. Valery Kaykov remains in force until a hearing panel convened by the Russian Cycling Federation determines whether he has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules."

Rusvelo were formed in 2012 as a programme for young Russian riders on the track and road. Their team management includes Serhiy Honchar who was suspended for 30 days and later fired in 2007 by T-Mobile for failing a blood test.

However the team also state that they have zero tolerance towards doping.

"Moreover Rusvelo team declares that the main team's ideology is zero tolerance to doping in cycling. We do support clean cycling and we will stick firmly to our policy."