Quickstep’s Misstep
Details are still quite sketchy, but it looks like Team Quickstep-Innergetic is in some big trouble. Early morning raids on Team Quickstep riders, doctors, and staffers found “large quantities of doping products. A dozen people were arrested.” There hasn’t been any word on who was arrested. Early reports are that former World Champion Tom Boonen’s house was not raided, and he has not been implicated as of yet.
The police had very credible information that led them to carry out the raid. An official said, “The investigation was undertaken and prepared very well. We expected to find these products there where they were hidden.” This investigation has been going on for almost nine months after a newspaper reported that Quickstep had an insider mole at UCI headquarters that would tip them off to when surprise doping tests would be administered. The newspaper also accused Team Manager, Patrick Lafevere of admonishing the drugs to be taken. Some drugs reported to be used are EPO and Cocaine. Lafevere said today, “I’m en route for Paris. I don’t know anything about this business. I can’t really say anything.”
This is just the type of incident that could take Quickstep out of the Pro-Tour and be dismissed from the Tour de France.
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