Christian Pfannberger confirmed that he was told he had given a positive doping control, but denied that he had taken any forbidden substances.
(Image credit: undefined)
Christian Pfannberger confirmed that he was told he had given a positive doping control, but denied that he had taken any forbidden substances. The Austrian national champion was suspended by Team Katusha Wednesday after the team was informed of the positive test.
In a statement released Wednesday evening, Pfannberger said that the UCI notified him that afternoon of the positive test, which was taken in a training control on March 19. He said that the substance was not named.
"Since I definitely did not take anything forbidden I will use every legal method I can to prove this," he said.
The news of Pfannberger's doping violation came as a surprise to Serge Parsani, a Team Katusha directeur sportif for the Giro d'Italia.
"I have not heard anything from him," Parsani told Cyclingnews. "He had not said anything to us [about the matter]. The UCI news was the first I had heard. Certainly it is not something positive [to start the Giro this way], but unfortunately we have no control over it.
"We will continue to do the Giro without Pfannberger. He will have to resolve this problem himself."
Discuss Christian Pfannberger's doping violation in the Forum.
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Based in the southeastern United States, Peter produces race coverage for all disciplines, edits news and writes features. The New Jersey native has 30 years of road racing and cyclo-cross experience, starting in the early 1980s as a Junior in the days of toe clips and leather hairnets. Over the years he's had the good fortune to race throughout the United States and has competed in national championships for both road and 'cross in the Junior and Masters categories. The passion for cycling started young, as before he switched to the road Peter's mission in life was catching big air on his BMX bike.
