Astana and Ferrari deny working together recently
In the wake of reports that linking some of Astana’s riders to banned doctor Michele Ferrari, both team and doctor have publicly denied working together recently.
Denmark’s Politiken reported on Sunday that the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) has information suggesting that the Italian doctor is involved with the Astana team and has worked with with Jakob Fuglsang as well as Alexey Lutsenko. Among the allegations were reports that Ferrari has spent time motorpacing Fuglsang and attended the Volta a Catalunya with Astana in 2019.
Ferrari was banned for life in 2012 for his relationship with Lance Armstrong.
Astana released a statement on Monday noting that that it “does not collaborate with any suspicious doctor, such as Dr Michele Ferrari.”
The statement did not include any direct mention of Fuglsang or Lutsenko, but said that “riders are not authorized to consult any doctors external to the team in order to perform any activity, or to be prescribed any diet or treatment, related to their performance.”
“The team is in contact with the UCI and CADF in order to know more; it will collaborate with any inquiry that could be opened by CADF or the UCI,” Astana said.
Ferrari compiled a short list of points on his personal website denying any “relationship with athletes from Team Astana for over 10 years.”
He noted that he had not “been to Monaco/Nice” – where he is alleged to have met with riders – “for at least 12 years” and that he has “never been on a scooter/motorbike in my entire life, let alone motorpacing a cyclist.”
“The ‘Report’ is based on false reports from probable interested parties,” Ferrari wrote.
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