Roman Kreuziger blames UCI & WADA for CAS bio passport appeal delays

Roman Kreuziger, who missed last year’s Tour de France after it emerged his biological passport data was being investigated, says the UCI and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are to blame for delays in a date being set for their appeal against him being cleared of doping charges by Czech authorities.

The 28-year-old compared himself to a literary character who celebrates her 150th anniversary this year when he said on Twitter that the continued delays made him feel like “Alice in Wonderland.”

In October, the UCI and WADA said that they would appeal the decision, announced the previous month, of the Czech Olympic Committee not to sanction Kreuziger in respect of the biological passport anomaly.

The suspicious values in question are spread over two periods when Kreuziger was riding for Astana – from March to August 2011, and April 2012 to the finish of that year’s Giro d’Italia, a race on which he won Stage 19 to Alpe di Pamepago.

He returned to racing after being exonerated by the Czech authorities last September, and took part in Tirreno-Adriatico earlier this month as well as Sunday’s Milan-San Remo.

The same day, he took to Twitter to criticise the delay in the appeal being heard, saying: “I never cease to be amazed. Another delay. CAS propose 10 June for the hearing and verdict a month later.”

If correct, that means the verdict would be due in the opening days of the Tour de France, which begins in Utrecht on 4 July.

The timing would throw into doubt the Czech’s participation in the race where he would be expected to support Alberto Contador.

Kreuziger added: “Feel like Alice in Wonderland. I would chose April no question. I’m not delaying things. These are tests from 2011. Four years and no urgency.”

The appeal hearing does not currently appear on the current list of cases scheduled on the CAS website.

When it confirmed in October that it was appealing the decision, the UCI said it would make no further comment until the case at CAS had been resolved.