Toni Liias – Finnish champion suspected of doping use

This is not a good day for Finnish cycling and not a good day for Toni Liias. The A sample taken after the Finnish roadcyling championships in Kuusamo, tested positive. On Friday the results of the B sample will be released.

Being a Belgian elite rider in Finland I know the use of doping is (almost) non existing in Finnish cycling. On the other hand the list of products considered doping is so long that of course there might be some exceptions.
Liias claimed to have bought some supplements from a bioshop and he didn’t have a clue that there were some forbidden substances in the supplements. He also hopes that people will understand this.
Knowing Toni Liias a bit, I can say his story is very plausible. He might be percepted as an arragant young rider but he is actually a very talented rider with good focus during the races. Outside of the races his focus isn’t always the best so he might turn up a bit late for the start of the race, loose his starting numbers or simply not regcognise people … a bit the Oscar Freire of the Finnish peleton.
Anyway I wish him the best in this difficult times.

This also probably means that Kjell Carlström is mostlikely going to be wearing the Finnish National jersey for one year. I guess the Liquigas team is going to be “very” happy with this 🙂

 

Link to Finnish sport website:
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/muutlajit/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/muutlajit/2009/08/931645?pyoraily

Link to Toni Liias sponsor:
http://www.biovita.fi/uusi/news.php?lang=fi&id=1395