Artur Fedosseyev becomes fifth Astana rider to fail doping test

The International Cycling Union has provisionally suspended Kazakh rider Artur Fedosseyev in the fifth doping case linked to the Astana team.

The UCI says Fedosseyev, 20, tested positive for an anabolic steroid on August 16 when he was competing for Astana's development team at the Tour de l'Ain in which he finished in 15th place.

The case was announced on Tuesday while the UCI licence commission reviews the Kazakhstan-based team’s application to retain top-tier World Tour status next season.

Astana’s World Tour future has been put in question following the recent series of doping offences involving the team.

In recent weeks, brothers Maxim and Valentin Iglinskiy have tested positive for EPO, and Ilya Davidenok, a rider for their third division feeder team, tested positive for steroids.

Last week another Astana development rider, Victor Okishev, was provisionally suspended after testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

Italian Vincenzo Nibali is Astana’s star rider but the Tour de France winner insists he has nothing to do with any of the cases and sees no reason why he should be affected by them.

"If people want to associate me with these cases, they don't understand anything," the Sicilian said in La Gazzetta dello Sport last week. "They are four idiots that have nothing to do with me.

"The problem is certainly not mine. I think about myself and I have a clear conscience. I certainly can't give answers for their problems.”