Europcarin uskomattoman menestyksekäs Ranskan ympäriajo 2011 on poikinut dopingtutkinnan. Hieman erikoista, että näistä uutisoidaan vajaan vuoden viiveellä.

Europcar manager Jean-Rene Bernaudeau has denied any wrongdoing after a report in L'Equipe newspaper said a preliminary investigation had been opened in France into alleged doping within the French team.

"I have called my lawyer immediately. We have a clear conscience and we will answer every question as we have always done," said Bernaudeau, who will lead his team on the Tour de France from Saturday.

L'Equipe said a Paris prosecutor had opened a preliminary investigation into alleged doping practices in August 2011.

"Nothing is established yet," prosecutor Dominique Perard was quoted as saying by L'Equipe. "You know, we open a lot of preliminary investigations and it often leads to nothing."

He said the investigation focused on last year's Tour de France, when Frenchman Thomas Voeckler of Europcar had a brilliant run to finish fourth overall.
Tour de France - Europcar deny doping as probe begins - Yahoo! Eurosport