Antoshina fired by Astana Women's Team after positive test

The Astana Women's Team have announced its Russian rider Tatiana Antoshina "tested non-negative in an out-of-competition control that took place last May 31st". The UCI's list of provisionally suspended riders names the substance as GHRP-2.

The 33-year-old has been fired immediately with a statement from the team announcing "Astana Women's Team receives the news with obvious disappointment, but also with relief for having put an end to the working relationship with the athlete several weeks ago."

Antoshina, the Russian time trial champion, joined the Astana Women's Team at the end of last year and had ridden just 14 race days in 2016 before her contract was terminated. The team statement explains from the beginning of the year there were issues regarding her place in the team and that one week before her positive test, the Astana Women's Team had decided to act.

"Exactly one week before the test at issue, on May 24th, the team sent to Antoshina a letter asking her to find an agreement for the mutual termination of contract," the statement read. "The reason is that the cyclist never actually integrated herself into the team, appearing from the very beginning a foreign object to it: she didn't participate in the training camp in February in Sardinia, then presented herself in poor condition at the first races, and during the first months of the season there were problems in its management regarding to her schedule and technical material."

The team statement further added Antoshina was removed from several of its upcoming races in May and the news she had returned an adverse analytical finding has "paradoxically simplifies things because Antoshina will inevitably be fired on the spot."

"After sending the letter in which it asked the consensual termination of the contract, the team has removed the athlete from its roster for Philadelphia Cycling Classic, Giro del Trentino and the Giro Rosa, of course continuing on paying her salary," it continued.

In total, Antoshina only made four appearances in the Astana Women's Team jersey with fifth place overall at the Gracia Orlova, which she won in 2011, her final race with the Kazahk squad. 

Prior to joining Astana Women's Team, Antoshina rode for Servetto Footon in 2015, Rusvelo, MCipollini-Giordana and Rabobank in the three seasons prior.