The Bahrain winner of the Tour is the subject of a doping investigation

PAU, France, July 15 (Reuters) – French prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into doping allegations against the Tour de France’s Bahrain Victorious cycling team after police searched for clothing accommodation and a bus on Wednesday after stage 17 of the race.

The Marseille Port City Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation concerned “the acquisition, transport, possession, importation or prohibited use of a Prohibited Substance by a Athlete without medical justification”.

Bahrain Victorious said in an earlier statement: “On the eve of the 18th stage of the Tour de France, French police investigated the Team Bahrain Victorious investigation.

“A group of officers followed the group as they arrived at the Pau team hotel after step 17.

“The investigation included a search of the riders’ rooms as part of the process. Although the group was not aware of the reasons for the investigation, it was also asked to provide all training files that were compiled and presented to officials upon request.”

Vladimir Miholjevic, the team’s technical director, added: “After step 17, we were greeted by several French police officers. We were not allowed to read through, but the team complied with all the officers’ requests.”

The search was conducted by officials from the French National Gendarmerie Central Agency for Combating Environmental and Public Health Threats (OCLAESP) amid doping suspicions since last year, a police source told Reuters.

‘NOTHING TO HIDE’

According to Slovenian rider Matej Mohoric, the team had nothing to hide when he was about to embark on Thursday’s 18th stage, a 129.76km mountain ride from Pau to Luz Ardiden in the French Pyrenees.

“It was like 50 of them (the cops). They went through all my stuff and I said I have nothing to hide, I don’t care,” he said.

“They went through all the phones, all the personal messages … they checked all our belongings, all the buses, all the cars, but of course they couldn’t find anything because we have nothing to hide.”

His teammate, Italian champion Sonny Colbrelli, said the riders had little time to recover after Wednesday’s grueling mountain stage.

“They were looking for all the rooms, the gendarmes (cops) were good, just doing their job. They set everything back in the way they found,” he said.

“We’re good, a little nervous because these aren’t great things for cycling, because these are the last days of the tour, yesterday was a heavy phase and we couldn’t sleep until 2.30-3.00, and then this morning we were up early again.”

Bahrain Victorious has won two stages through this year’s Tour de Francella Mohoric and Belgian Dylan Teuns, while Dutchman Wout Poels leads the mountain classification.

Their best finish as a rider is Spain’s Peio Bilbao in 10th place, 12 minutes and 53 seconds behind defending Slovenian Tadej Pogacar.

“We are committed to the highest standards of professionalism and compliance with all legal requirements and we always work together in a professional manner,” the team statement added.

“The process had affected our rider’s recovery and meal planning, and as a professional team, the well-being of our team is a top priority.”

Report by Julien Pretot; Edited by Hugh Lawson and Ken Ferris

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