Bruyneel served with US subpoena rumours

Johan Bruyneel

According to widespread rumours, RadioShack-Nissan boss Johan Bruyneel was served with a subpoena as he stepped off his plane and onto US soil this week on his way to the Tour of California. Though the rumours remain unconfirmed, it doesn't take a huge leap of the imagination to connect the story to Floyd Landis, who rode for Bruyneel's US Postal team between 2002-2004 and is currently subject to federal investigation related to the "Floyd Fairness Fund" he set up to pay for his legal team when he was accused of doping. 

Others have suggested that if the subpoena really does exist, it could be part of an ongoing USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong. Whether or not USADA is able to issue a subpoena is unclear - Betsy Andreu, interviewed by Anthony Tan for Velonews, says that they can, other sources say they cannot, while the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which works with and partially funds USADA and is a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, would certainly be able to seek a subpoena.

Velonation has since located a source "with knowledge of the matter" who claims that the team manager met with investigators on Friday. A USADA spokesperson told the website that an "investigation into the sport of cycling is ongoing."

The story took most of Saturday to get into the mainstream news, leading some fans to suggest it was all a load of rubbish; while others thought that the press had been told not to talk about it. Bruyneel Tweeted some photos from California at around 8pm (BST) the day the story broke, but made no mention of it.