Schumacher protests innocence

Shimano memory Corp rider Stefan Schumacher has protested his innocence on charges of using the banned stimulant cathine. "I am 100 percent innocent and will bring the truth to light," he told the German newspaper Der Teckbote. Schumacher will hold a press conference on Thursday with his lawyer at which he plans to explain the reason for the positive test.

Schumacher was leading the UCI Europe Tour points classification after a breakthrough ride in the Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt in which he won four stages. Two days ago the UCI announced that Schumacher had recorded a non-negative A sample test at the same race. He has been suspended by his team.