Luca Paolini has taken to Twitter to defend himself after a positive test for cocaine was taken during the Tour de France, where he returned an adverse analytical finding on July 7. He was forced to leave the race as a consequence.

Paolini, La Gazzetta dello Sport report, took to Twitter late on Friday night to claim his innocence and apologise for the damage he and the positive test had caused: ”I do not know what to say, I'm stunned. I did not take cocaine, let's see the B-sample."

“I believe and have always believed in the controls, are making the sport more credible, more. I wanted to be quiet and solve this thing on my own! ! I am not the type who looks for scandals.”

“With success I take my responsibilities in full and try to do so with utmost clarity! I apologize to all my fellow riders and certainly to the Tour de France, epecially ASO, knowing that the timing of this was not appropriate, especially with the high concentration of the media.”

“I apologize to my teammates and the fantastic Team Katusha and I hope that my absence is not detrimental to a good result ... In these days I will do my to best to understand how it was possible.”

The 38-year-old Gent-Wevelgem winner will be a big loss for the Katusha team’s two leaders Joaquim Rodriguez and Alexander Kristoff.