Xavier Florencio suffers from Tour de France non-start
Xavier Florencio has found himself in a difficult position due to a delicate incident on the eve of this year’s Tour de France. The former Cervelo TestTeam rider had been suspended from the team and denied a start at the 2010 Tour because he had been using
a haemorrhoid cream which contained banned-substance ephedrine.
"[The team] informed the UCI, because the substance stays in the system for two or three days and there was a danger of returning a positive result in case of an anti-doping test,” said Florencio to Biciclismo. “Logically, the next step was to remove me
from the team."
The cyclist, who has ridden primarily as a domestic through his 11-year career, is now suffering from the fall-out of the incident. He had willingly volunteered the team medical staff of his use of haemorrhoid medication Hemoal but he is not happy with how
the team dealt with it and the stain now on his record even though he did not commit any doping infractions.
"My agent, Angel Edo, is actively working to find a new team and allow me to continue my professional career, but it's difficult. It's pretty disappointing, but I do not lose hope. I try not to think about it.”
Many of the riders left hanging when Florencio's team closed its doors were picked up when the Cervelo bicycle company signed on as a new co-sponsor for Team Garmin, though some were left to fend for themselves. With João Correia’s retirement and the signing
of Stefan Denifl to the Luxembourg team, Florencio is among three riders remaining in the transfer market, along with Iñigo Cuesta and Joaquin Novoa.
"Many teams will not consider me for employment. What hurts me the most is that I did not test positive, and I did not try to dope, and that's not even taking into account my sporting career. It's a little harder every time I think about it and how it has
affected my family."
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