Report: Horner misses post-Vuelta anti-doping test

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Spanish newspapers AS and Marca have reported that Vuelta a Espana winner Chris Horner (Radioshack-Leopard) has missed a surprise out of competition anti-doping test in Madrid after the testing officials were unable to locate him early on Monday morning. However the RadioShack-Leopard team has said the anti-doping testers went to the wrong hotel, after Horner changed his ADAMS whereabouts information on Sunday before the final stage of the Vuelta.

According to reports anti-doping inspectors from the Spanish Anti-doping Agency were asked to do the test by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) but when they arrived at the Hotel Princesa in Madrid, where the rest of the team was staying, Horner was not there. They apparently visited a second hotel but were unable to find the American rider.

The RadioShack-Leopard team has reacted angrily to the reports in the Spanish media, saying that Horner updated his whereabouts information before the start of Sunday's final stage, specifying he would stay in a different hotel. It seems that Horner opted to stay in another hotel in central Madrid with his wife rather than stay in the hotel with the rest of the team. The team say Horner specified the name of hotel and even his room number when he updated his ADAMS information.

The team suggested the Spanish anti-doping inspectors failed to use latest ADAMS whereabouts information and went to the wrong hotel rather than Horner missing an out of competition test.

“There is no problem. The USADA went to the wrong hotel. They went to the team hotel but he is in another hotel. He had mentioned this in his ADAMS. They should do their administration more correctly than they did. They need to check their whereabouts too,” press spokesman Philippe Maertens told Cyclingnews.

Cyclingnews understands that Horner is now traveling back to the USA with his wife via Valencia.

RadioShack-Leopard said they angry about the leak to the Spanish media and plan to issue a full statement as soon as possible.

Under anti-doping rules, if Horner is unable to explain and justify the missed test, it could be officially declared a 'no-show'. Under anti-doping rules, three 'no shows' in a period of 18 months can lead to an athlete being banned.