Ryder Hesjedal's recent doping admission may have concerned misdemeanours that took place more than 10 years ago but his past will now have an impact on his recent exploits on the road as well. According to Gazzetta.it, UCI and WADA plan to retest the samples from his 2012 Giro d'Italia victory.
Earlier this week Ryder Hesjedal admitted to doping after allegations published in Michael Rasmussen's autobiography had been published by the media. The Dane claimed that he had taught Hesjedal and fellow Canadian mountain bikers Seamus McGrath and Chris Sheppard how to use EPO and cortisone while they prepared for the 2003 mountain bike world championships.
While the 8-year statute of limitations means that Hesjedal cannot be punished for his actions, it means that his more recent past will now be scrutinized. Despite a 6th place finish in the 2010 Tour de France, Hesjedal surprised most of the cycling world when he won the 2012 Giro d'Italia ahead of Joaquim Rodriguez and the anti-doping authorities now want to have a closer look at that victory.
According to Gazzetta.it, the UCI and WADA plan to retest his samples from the Italian grand tour. Stored in the laboratories in Rome and Lausanne, the samples have already been tested once and declared negative but the race is "too important to be left in the shadow" by Hesjedal's past.
The news come just a few days after the UCI management committee agreed to the broad principles for an independent commission that will look into cycling's past and to a full audit of the current anti-doping system in cycling.
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