Tom Danielson, an American professional cyclist who rides for the Cannondale-Garmin team, has revealed that he failed a doping test for synthetic testosterone. In a series of statements on his official Twitter page, Danielson wrote, ‘Tonight has been one of the worst nights of my life. While I was eating dinner with my team the night before Tour of Utah I received a call for USADA [United States Anti-Doping Agency] notifying me that a [sic] out of competition test I gave July 9th has tested positive for, from what I understand, synthetic testosteron [sic].’

The American cyclist, who was one of the witnesses against US Postal Service Team (USPS Team) cyclist Lance Armstrong and director Johan Bruyneel in the 2012  USPS Team doping conspiracy and who in turn got a reduced 6-month sanction in 2012, denied that he had taken synthetic testosterone ‘or any other banned substance.’ Danielson’s statement continued, ‘I spoke with them [USADA] and my team and I will have to sit out the Tour of Utah as I wait for the B sample as well as look into all the possible ways that could have produced this result.’

‘I would never ever take anything like this especially after everything I have gone through the last years. This makes absolutely no sense. I will now, as I wait for the B test, have the supplements I take tested to see if this is what caused it,’ wrote Danielson. ‘I feel incredibly hurt, frustrated, and angry by this. I don’t understand how or why this happened and still can’t even accept this is true.’

The Tour of Utah, a UCI classified road race nicknamed ‘America’s Toughest Stage Race’ and won in both 2013 and 2014 by Danielson, begins today. In 2010 USADA imposed a six-month suspension on Danielson as well as a loss of results (stripping of all race results between March 1, 2005, and September 23, 2006) after he, alongside ten other former teammates of Lance Armstrong, admitting to doping. Following the announcement of his suspension Danielson released a statement saying that he was faced with a decision and ‘crossed the line.’ He said that he regretted his decision, ‘I accept responsibility for my choices and apologise to everyone in my life for them – in and out of the sport,” Danielson said.

In the case that a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) laboratory reports an adverse analytical finding (AAF), or positive test, for an athlete’s A sample, the B sample is tested to confirm the presence of the prohibited substance detected in the A sample. The athlete has the opportunity to be present when the B sample’s tamper-proof glass top is opened and the sample is tested. The athlete, the athlete’s sport national governing body, the USOC, and WADA are all informed of a positive A and B sample.

USADA is yet to issue a statement on the matter.