Former Lance Armstrong team-mate fails drug test

A FORMER team-mate of Lance Armstrong has tested positive for testosterone.
Tom Danielson during the Tour of Utah before the announcement of his failed drug test. Picture: GettyTom Danielson during the Tour of Utah before the announcement of his failed drug test. Picture: Getty
Tom Danielson during the Tour of Utah before the announcement of his failed drug test. Picture: Getty

Tom Danielson – banned for six months in the wake of the United States Anti-doping Agency’s investigation into Armstrong’s US Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams – has been suspended by his Cannondale-Garmin team, but is pleading his innocence, saying the result ‘makes no sense’.

In a series of posts on Twitter, the 35-year-old American wrote: “Tonight (Sunday night) has been one of the worst nights of my life. While I was eating dinner with my team the night before the Tour of Utah I received a call.

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“USADA has notifyied me that an out-of-competition test I gave July 9th has tested positive for, from what I understand, synthetic testosteron (sic).

“I’ve not taken this or any other banned substance.

“I spoke with them and my team and I will have to sit out the Tour of Utah as I wait for the B sample as well as look into all the possible ways that could have produced this result.

“I would never ever take anything like this especially after everything I have gone through the last years. This makes absolutely no sense. I will now, as I wait for the B test, have the supplements I take tested to see if this is what caused it. I feel incredibly hurt, frustrated, and angry by this. I don’t understand how or why this happened and still can’t even accept this is true.”

Cannondale-Garmin’s parent company Slipstream Sports added in a statement: “Tom Danielson notified Slipstream Sports that he was informed by USADA that he has returned an adverse analytical A sample using carbon isotope testing.

“In accordance with Slipstream Sports’ zero tolerance anti-doping policy, he has been suspended from competition, effective immediately.

“He awaits the results of his B sample.

“Slipstream respects and will adhere to the process of the anti-doping authorities and will not comment further.”

l Movistar cycling team have announced that Tour de France runner-up Nairo Quintana will race in the Spanish Vuelta.

The Colombian climber will be joined by former Vuelta champion Alejandro Valverde, who finished third at this summer’s Tour.

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Movistar will announce its complete team “in a few days’ time.”

The Vuelta is the third grand tour of the summer after the Giro d’Italia and the Tour. The three-week race begins on 22 August in the southern coastal town of Puerto Banus.

Quintana crashed out of last year’s Vuelta following his victory at the 2014 Giro.

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