UCI confirms unpaid riders at RadioShack

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UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani has confirmed to members of the media that three riders of RadioShack-Nissan have not been paid their salaries since the month of May, L'Equipe has reported. These three riders have turned to the world governing body of cycling to signal the failure of payment, which in turn is currently seeking answers of the team manager Johan Bruyneel.

Carpani has refused to reveal the identity of the riders, but it seems possible that they would include Jakob Fuglsang, who has recently been excluded by his team to race any WorldTour events, following his public statements that he would likely leave the outfit next year.

Danish Ekstrabladet has speculated that Fuglsang may be one of the concerned. "I have no comment to make," Fuglsang told the newspaper when asked whether this was true. "Ultimately I just want to ride a bike and not read my name every day in more or less controversial articles in the newspapers. Therefore I have no comment."

The news adds to the current difficulties of the team, which is dealing with a number of issues: Andy Schleck's injury and subsequent absence from the Tour de France, the strained relationship between the Schleck brothers and team management and, last but not least, USADA's investigation of Bruyneel's implication in Lance Armstrong's alleged former doping activities - which is the reason why the Belgian is absent from the Tour de France.