By Brecht Decaluwé
It took more than five months, but cyclo-cross rider Maxime Lefebvre was finally suspended. As reported earlier, the French 34 year-old didn't show up for a doping control at the North Sea 'cross race in Middelkerke. Since the rider was suspended earlier in his career, he was subject to a longer-term suspension this time around. The Frenchman tried to avoid a suspension by saying he didn't know that there was a control, and he continued to show up to Belgian races; he almost upset the cyclo-cross world by winning in Sint-Niklaas.
Lefebvre was suspended this time with the strictest possible punishment, a life suspension, with the UCI and the Belgian Cycling Federation KBWB confirming the verdict. Lefebvre to cyclo-cross.info that he didn't know anything, "Suspended? Sorry, but I didn't receive anything. By the way, I applied for a new license in March and received it without a problem in Brussels, even though I asked them about a possible suspension."
"Last week I rode a BMX race, and the officials didn't disallow me to start." The French rider continued to question the actions of the UCI and warned he would sue for abuse of power from the federations.
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