Spanish rider Luis Leon Sanchez has been suspended by his Blanco Pro Cycling team as the Dutch squad investigate his links to Eufemiano Fuentes, the doctor at the centre of the Operacion Puerto trial in Madrid.
The Blanco team were formerly known as Rabobank, but the Dutch bank withdrew its sponsorship late last year following the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.
Now one of its most talented riders has been sidelined at the start of the 2013 season.
A statement on the team’s official Twitter feed read: “Team Blanco started an investigation into rider Luis Leon Sanchez after stories in the media about his possible involvement in Fuentes case.
“Pending the results of the Team Blanco investigation into rider Luis Leon Sanchez, he will not be put on a Blanco race roster.”
Sanchez has always denied doping.