Australian cyclist Michael Rogers fails doping test

Australian cyclist Michael Rogers has been provisionally suspended by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) after testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol at October's Japan Cup Cycle Road Race, media reported Thursday.

The world's governing body for cycling, the UCI, said the decision to provisionally suspend Rogers would remain in force until a hearing panel convened by Cycling Australia determines whether he has committed an anti-doping rule violation, Xinhua reported citing a UCI statement.

"Rogers has the right to request and attend the analysis of his B sample," the UCI statement said.

According to the UCI, a report from a laboratory in Tokyo accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) showed an adverse analytical finding of clenbuterol in a urine sample collected from Rogers in a test during the Japan Cup Cycle Road Race Oct 20.

But Rogers denies deliberate doping, fearing a contaminated food source is the reason behind the test result, media reports said.

The 33-year-old Saxo-Tinkoff rider is a three-time World Time-Trial Champion, winning consecutively in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

"Michael Rogers immediately informed Saxo-Tinkoff's management about the notification from the UCI," the cycling team said in a statement.

"The Australian explained to the team management that he never ingested the substance knowingly nor deliberately and fears that the adverse analytical finding origins from a contaminated food source."