According to France's AFP news agency, French police have launched a preliminary investigation into suspected doping by a "small part" of the Arkea-Samsic team in this year's Tour de France. [Tadej Pogačar snatched the overall win from fellow Slovenian Primoš Roglic in the final time trial stage on Saturday.

According to AFP, an investigation was launched by the police's public health department, with prosecutor Dominique Laurens saying that "many health products containing drugs (...) and, in particular, methods that could be identified as doping were found."

In addition, AFP reported that two people were preliminarily detained or "gardes à vue" Monday morning. According to Le Parisien, the two men were a team doctor and a soigneur, and "100 ml of saline solution and injection equipment" were found during the search. Le Parisien also reported that Nairo Quintana and Deyer Quintana were interrogated.7]

Laurence spoke about the illegally prescribed drugs and said that "those responsible for administering and prescribing substances and methods prohibited within the framework of sporting events to athletes without any medical justification, athletes to the use of prohibited substances or methods, those responsible for aiding and abetting or inciting the use of prohibited substances or methods, and those responsible for transporting or possessing prohibited substances or methods for the purpose of their use by athletes without medical justification"

He stated that an investigation had been launched

.

According to reports in Le Journal du Dimanche and L'Équipe, French police searched the hotel room where Arkea Samsic was staying last Wednesday during the Tour de France.

Emmanuel Hubert, team manager of Alcare Samsic, acknowledged to L'Équipe that the search had taken place, but declined to comment further.

L'Équipe reported that Nairo Quintana was the target of a raid, conducted by officials of the Central Secretariat for the Eradication of Environmental and Public Health Damage (OCLAESP). The search apparently was not conducted in cooperation with the French anti-doping agency (AFLD).

According to L'Équipe, police also searched the rooms of Colombian riders Daire Quintana and Winner Anacona, as well as the team's soignée and team car. Arkea Samsic was staying near Meribel after the Col de la Rose on stage 17.

Quintana and other Colombian riders joined Arkea-Samsic for the 2020 season after seven years with Movistar. He crashed again on stage 13 of the Tour, and his attempt to reach the podium at the Grand Colombier two days later fell short.

He arrived in Paris in 17th place overall, his lowest finish in a Grand Tour since the 2012 Vuelta a España.

On Monday evening, the UCI issued the following statement regarding the investigation, noting that it supports the investigation and will take "appropriate action" as soon as it receives relevant information from the French authorities.

"The UCI confirms that it is in contact with OCLAESP and the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) as part of the legal action taken by the French authorities on the Tour de France sidelines... The UCI welcomes the actions of all parties. We welcome and support them and will take appropriate action, taking note of the information obtained by the French legal authorities."

The UCI has also taken the following steps.

Arkea Samsic later issued a statement on the matter, with team manager Emmanuel Hubert stating that the investigation concerned "a very limited number of players not employed by the team and their close relatives." He added that if the investigation confirms that doping has taken place, the team will "disassociate itself" from such practices.

"As we have already confirmed to various media outlets, a search was conducted at our hotel last week. Only a very limited number of riders not employed by the team and their immediate family members are involved," Hubert said. [The team, general manager, and staff currently being discussed in the media are not involved in any meaningful way and, as a result, are not near or far from being informed of any elements related to the progress of the investigation.

"We clearly support the athletes, but if the ongoing investigation is concluded and elements are identified that confirm the veracity of doping practices, the team will immediately take the necessary steps to disassociate itself from such practices and sever ties with the unacceptable methods that are still being fought. Immediate action will be taken.

"Indeed, as a member of the MPCC (Movement for a Credible Cycling), the team has always demonstrated its commitment to ethics and taken a position in favor of the fight against doping over the past 20 years.