Keisse positive

Belgian Six-Day rider Iljo Keisse tested positive for an unnamed substance at the Gent Six Day race, November 18-23. He has requested that the B-sample be tested and has meanwhile been suspended by his team.

Keisse, who announced the positive, said that, "it is certainly not EPO or CERA," according to the Belga press agency. He had no further comment on the matter. It has already been announced that he will not start Thursday in the Zürich Six Day race.

The 25-year-old tested positive on the last day of the race, which he won with his German partner Robert Bartko. The International Cycling Union (UCI) sent a fax announcing the positive to his team, Topsport Vlaanderen, whose communication manager Christophe Sercu said that he then discussed the matter with Keisse.

"I want to keep the contents of that conversation confidential, as well as the name of the product for which Iljo tested positive," he said. The team suspended Keisse immediately and Sercu explained that they will await the results of the B sample. If it is also positive, he will be dismissed.

Countryman and Olympic teammate Kenny De Ketele said that Keisse was emotional about the test result but was honest in relation to his indiscretion. "Iljo called me Tuesday and confirmed his positive test," De Ketele told Sporza. "Iljo didn't want me to hear the news from journalists."

"What did he say?" continued De Ketele. "Well, the facts: that he had tested positive during the last day of the Gent Six. He didn't say more than that." De Ketele, who rode the Madison with Keisse at the Beijing Games, said that his friend "sounded very emotional." (SW)