Astana face licence review after third positive test

"The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) will ask the Licence Commission to undertake a full review of the management and anti-doping policies of the Astana Pro Team," the UCI said in a statement on Thursday.

"This follows the serious concerns raised by the fact that two Astana riders, Maxim and Valentin Iglinskiy, recently tested positive for EPO and the notification this week that Ilya Davidenok has returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for anabolic androgenic steroids in a sample collected at the Tour de l'Avenir on 28th August 2014."

Astana already have a World Tour (elite) license for 2015.

Last week, the UCI said that Astana, who are managed by ex- doper Alexandre Vinokourov and have Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali in their ranks, could have "conditions attached to their licence".

Astana are a member of the Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Credible (Movement for Credible Cycling or MPCC), which enforces stricter anti-doping rules than the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

As per those rules, Astana suspended themselves for the season-ending Tour of Beijing which starts on Friday because they have had two doping cases in the team in the past 12 months.