Kolobnev doping case to go before CAS in February

Alexandr Kolobnev will have his day in court next month. The Court of Arbitraiton for Sport has scheduled the UCI's appeal of his case for a hearing on February 7.

The Russian tested positive for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, which can be used as a masking agent, at the fifth stage of the Tour de France last summer. He withdrew from the Tour and voluntarily suspended himself. He denied having used any doping, but the B-sample also came back positive.

The Russian anti-doping agency did not suspend him, but gave him a warning and a fine. The UCI announced in early December that it had appealed that decision to the CAS.

Kolobnev had ridden with Katusha since 2010, but team manger Hans-Michael Holczer confirmed in December that he would not return to the team this season.

The 30-year-old made further headlines late last year when a Swiss magazine alleged that Alexandre Vinokourov bought the win in the 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege from him. Vinokourov has vigorously denied the charges and indicated he would sue the magazine, while Kolobnev has not publicly commented.