Times are tough at the Funvic Soul Cycles Carrefour team. At a time when the team is waiting for news from the International Cycling Union for its chance to stay in the Pro Continental division, Benedito Tadeu Azevedo’s formation has just been involved in two doping cases, those of Ramiro Rincon Diaz and Joao Marcelo Gaspar .These two new cases occurred after that of Kleber Ramos put the team in trouble and now the Brazilian team can expected to be banned. 

Local media have announced that the team will not survive and that riders have been asked to give back their equipment. 

"These are lies,” Azevedo tells Ciclismo Internacional. “We called cyclists so that they understand the gravity of the situation. It is true that we told them to bring all their equipment, but the team will not disappear. The first thing we want is that they understand the situation. We await news from the UCI and if they say we have to be suspended for 15 days, it will be so. We will respect what they say.”

The concern for Azevedo and his riders is that the suspension could as well be for one year according to the UCI regulations. Azevedo, however, ensures that the team is still alive. 

"We have not lost any sponsor, even if this could still happen,” he said. “We are in discussions with them to understand the importance of the Funvic project. We are paying for the biological passport and it costs us 85,000 euros. "

Azevedo that "the culture of doping is an old one in this region," citing in particular Brazil and Argentina. He sees his team as a pioneer, trying to show the good example and extend the culture of cycling. He hopes to see the sport develop in his country and continue the fight against doping.

The road is still long and will include the rescue of his team in this difficult time. 

"Funvic will definitely not stop even if UCI's decision will be crucial in this regard,” he concluded. Meanwhile, the activity of the Brazilian team continues and the planned training camp this week to test young riders will go on.