After Lars Boom has recorded low cortisol levels and is unable to start the Tour de France as per rules of the Movement for Credible Cycling, Astana is trying to bring Alessandro Vanotti in as a late replacement. Today the team have announced the following statement.

"At 14:00 on 3 July, Astana Pro Team received analyses from the UCI's independent antidoping agency CADF from blood tests administered to its 9 Tour de France riders on 2 July.

"According to the CADF notification, rider Lars Boom has a healthy and permissable level of cortisol for the Tour de France that is however too low for applicable standards from the MPCC .

"In response to official correspondence from the MPCC from 29 June 2015, Astana Pro Team asked the UCI to authorize the activation of named reserve rider Alessandro Vanotti to the Tour de France squad in order to start on 4 July

"Official registration of riders for the 2015 Tour de France closed at 10:30 on 3 July at the Sport Directors' Meeting, before the CADF notification.

"Alessandro Vanotti will arrive in the Netherlands Saturday morning to undergo physical and blood tests and await a UCI decision on the matter."