After the UCI made a formal request to the Licensing Commission for Astana to have their WorldTour licence revoked on the basis of an audit made by the Institute of Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne (ISSUL), the team has until the 20th of March to submit its response, according to L’Equipe.

Astana has acknowledged the results of the ISSUL and is speaking with lawyers to prepare its defence. The team will reserve its right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if the Licensing Commission decided to revoke the Kazakh team’s licence. 

No date has been set for the hearing yet.