Team Katusha has confirmed that Austria’s Christian Pfannberger has been suspended after he tested positive in an out of competition doping control taken on March 19.
On Wednesday morning Team Katusha advised Pfannberger pulled out of the line-up for the Giro d’Italia for personal reasons and would be replaced by Alexander Serov.
Spokesman Andrea Agostini commented that the team received a letter that Pfannberger is pulling out of the team for personal reasons and later confirmed that they were informed by Pfannberger’s agent that the rider had returned a "Not Negative" result of a surprise doping control test at the athletes home on March 19.
Pending an official response from the UCI the team has decided to indefinitely suspend the athlete from the team. If the postive doping test is confirmed, Team Katusha may take action to protect his image and rights against Pfannberger.
Team Katusha was formed this year and has already had some success such as the win by Sergei Ivanoc in the Amstel Gold Race and a second place at Paris-Roubaix by Filippo Pozzato.
website: Team Katusha
