Maxim Iglinskiy provisionally suspended for EPO test failure
Second EPO positive for Astana as Maxim Iglinskiy joins brother Valentin in failing a test for blood booster
Maxim Iglinskiy, after helping Astana team-mate Vincenzo Nibali win the Tour de France, tested positive for banned blood booster EPO. The Kazakh failed a test a day before the Clásica San Sebastián, on August 1, 10 days before his younger brother Valentin failed an anti-doping test for the same substance.
Cycling's governing body, the UCI, did not announce the result, but following its new policy, updated its Provisionally Suspended list last night with Iglinskiy's name. His 30-year-old brother Valentin refused a counter-analysis and admitted to the team he doped after the UCI listed his name on September 10.
Iglinskiy, 33, enjoyed the most success of the two. He won the 2012 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the 2010 Strade Bianche and stages in the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Romandie. Team Astana valued him enough to field him at the Tour in support of Nibali. Nibali won and Iglinskiy placed 129th.
After the Clásica San Sebastián, where he placed 26th, he continued through the GP de Fourmies on September 7. Depending what happens next, the GP de Fourmies could prove to be his last race.
"All Astana Pro Team riders are contractually obliged to respect strict ethical rules and regulations," said Astana's general manager, Alexandre Vinokourov.
"We will not tolerate any indulgences. I am very disappointed and angered that this rider could not have understood the basis of our rules and the importance of our ethics. It is especially unacceptable on the part of a Kazakh rider who stands for the image of our team and the image of our country."
Team Astana may have to stop racing for eight days and miss the Giro di Lombardia, October 5, and the Tour or Beijing, October 10 to 14.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The team is one of 11 WorldTour teams that voluntary signed up for and follow the stricter anti-doping rules of the Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC). One of the rules requires a team to stop for eight days from the next WorldTour race, in this case Lombardia, if it has two positive cases in a 12-month period.
Seven WorldTour teams – Sky, BMC, Trek, Movistar, Cannondale, Tinkoff-Saxo and Omega Pharma-Quick Step – are not MPCC members.
Vinokourov himself tested positive for blood doping at the 2007 Tour de France and served a two-year suspension. He is currently accused of corruption after allegedly paying Alexandr Kolobnev for the 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege race win.
Valentin Iglinskiy sacked by Astana after failing EPO test
Kazakh rider Valentin Iglinskiy failed test for EPO at Eneco Tour and admits to using the banned blood booster
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
I'm about to turn 40 - how can I keep riding fast?
Approaching a landmark birthday, Charlie Graham-Dixon explores how ageing affects cycling performance and what can be done to stay ahead of the curve
By Charlie Graham-Dixon Published
-
Life Time Grand Prix to have fewer riders and wild cards in 2025
The flagship US gravel series has confirmed the six races that will be a part of the competition next year
By Adam Becket Published
-
Steroids found in pro cyclist’s anti-doping test sample
Antwan Tolhoek has been provisionally suspended by the UCI while proceedings are ongoing
By Tom Davidson Last updated
-
Jonas Vingegaard reveals he missed an anti-doping test
'It's not great to have a missed test hanging over you,' says Tour de France champion
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Jumbo-Visma rider Michel Hessmann suspended after positive anti-doping test
The 22-year-old's out-of-competition sample detected the presence of diuretics
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Former British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman given four-year doping ban
Freeman chose not to defend himself before the anti-doping panel
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'We are not cheaters' says Belgian rider Shari Bossuyt after anti-doping positive
The Canyon-SRAM rider tested positive for Letrozole in an anti-doping control in March
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Miguel Ángel López takes Astana to court over ‘unlawful’ breach of contract
The Colombian was dismissed by Astana Qazaqstan in December, and is now seeking damages
By Tom Davidson Published
-
"Failing that drug test was the best thing that had ever happened to me"
Abuse victim and disgraced cycling champion Geneviève Jeanson finds solace in return to bike racing
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
29 cases of alleged doping recorded in cycling in 2022, but only one at WorldTour
Most came from semi-professional ranks, MPCC finds
By Tom Davidson Published