HUSHOVD: BOONEN AFFAIR “NOT GOOD FOR CYCLING”

Dauphine Libere leader Thor Hushovd has called Tom Boonen?s alleged positive for cocaine ?a sad and worrying question for cycling.?

Questions about Tom Boonen and his alleged cocaine positive were all but inevitable in the press conference after stage two of the Dauphine Libere, and race leader Hushovd answered them as best he could.

?It?s a very sad situation, a very worrying one, and one that?s not good for cycling at all. Rules though, are there to be followed.?

?I like sprinting against Tom Boonen, and I haven?t thought about whether it?ll be good or bad for me in the battle for the Tour de France green jersey if he is or isn?t there.?

?I haven?t, to be honest, thought much about whether or not he?ll be there in July at all. I don?t know if he will be. This is much more serious than the Tour.?

Quite apart from the Tour de France, it?s been reported that Boonen will not be taking part in the upcoming Tour of Switzerland. A press conference has been announced for Wednesday and the team will not make any statements before that.

DAUPHINE LIBERE 2008: STAGE REPORTS

Stage two: Hincapie outclasses bunch in Dauphine

Stage one: Valverde takes classy win

Prologue: Leipheimer soars to Dauphine prologue win

NEWS & FEATURES

Flat start for Dauphine Libere

Dauphine Libere 2008 preview

PHOTOS

2008 Dauphine Libere photo gallery