Jonathan Breyne provisionally suspended over Clenbuterol

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Jonathan Breyne (Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)

It has been revealed that Jonathan Breyne recorded a positive test for Clenbuterol on November 5 during the Tour of Taihu Lake. The Belgian federal prosecutor will decide whether Breyne has infringed the doping regulations and the 22-year-old's contract with the UCI Continental To Win-Josan Cycling Team for the 2014 season is now in doubt. His team Crelan-Euphony previously announced it was withdrawing its sponsorship of the road team due to financial reasons.

Breyne breaks through in Tour of Taihu

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Breyne has said he is unsure how he tested positive to the drug which was announced on the same day as Michael Rogers positive test after winning the Japan Cup in October.

The UCI statement on Breyne's test reads, "the decision to provisionally suspend this rider was made in response to a report from the WADA-accredited laboratory in Beijing indicating an adverse analytical finding of clenbuterol in a urine sample collected from him in a test during the Tour of Taihu Lake on 5 November 2013."

Breyen's father, Philippe, told Belga the news of the test was received by mail. "Jonathan has confirmed that he has taken nothing," he said. To Win-Josan's team manager Willy Teirlinck said he would not take hasty decisions regarding Breyen's contract. "A weeping and sobbing Jonathan Breyne told me that he does not know how the stuff came into his body. According Breyne it possibly would have been from his in his diet. His world had collapsed," said Teirlinck.

"He was going to ride for us from January 1, but if it is true that Breyne has tested positive for the use of clenbuterol is obviously not the case. Chances are that we should look for a replacement, but now we're already do not make hasty decisions because he can apply," said Teirlinck.

Breyne came to attention with victory on Stage 8 of the Tour of Taihi Lake on November 9 as he held off a fast finishing peloton to record his debut win on the road. He finished the race in eight place overall. Breyne showed promise as junior in winning a handful of time trial events and participated in the last two editions of the Tour of Flanders.