Professional cyclists Kristijan Koren of Slovenia and Croatian Kristijan Durasek have been suspended as police investigate an Austrian blood doping ring, cycling’s world governing body the UCI said on Wednesday.
Two other retired riders, Italian Alessandro Petacchi and Slovenian Borut Bozic, have also been implicated in the Operation Aderlass investigation.
Koren, 32, who rides for the Bahrain team of Italian star Vincenzo Nibali, has been competing in the Giro d’Italia, which started this week and was 47th overall after Tuesday’s fourth stage.
UAE Emirates’ Durasek was riding in the Tour of California.
According to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, who organise the three-week Giro, sources “close to the dossier” claim that Koren and Bozic’s implication dates back to 2012-2013.
Koren was riding for the Cannondale team at the time, while Bozic, whose 21 wins include a stage of the 2009 Tour of Spain, rode for Astana.
Durasek, 31, who won the…
