A team soigneur, or carer, for Ineos-Grenadiers has left the Tour de France after being asked to speak to the International Testing Agency (ITA) over allegations relating to the 2012 season, the British team has confirmed.
“Following recent media allegations, David (Rozman) has now received a request from the ITA to attend an interview. Accordingly, he has stepped back from race duties and has left the Tour,” Ineos-Grenadiers said, adding the team had not been presented with formal evidence or asked to participate in any inquiry.
The ITA declined to comment and Rozman did not answer phone calls.
The Irish Independent reported earlier this month that Rozman exchanged messages in 2012 with a doctor linked to the Operation Aderlass doping scandal that shook the sporting world in 2019. German broadcaster ARD also last month reported exchanges involving Ineos, but did not name Rozman.
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Operation Aderlass involved a German physician Mark Schmidt, who had been giving illegal blood transfusions to athletes from various disciplines, including cycling.
Schmidt was later convicted and in 2021 was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison for administering illegal blood transfusions.
The 2012 Tour de France was won by Britain’s Bradley Wiggins with the team, then known as Team Sky. His former team-mate Chris Froome went on to win another four Tour titles for the team.
Soigneurs typically look after the cyclists, providing massages and carrying out a host of other jobs for the team.
Ineos said in its statement that it had commissioned an inquiry by an external law firm after Rozman informed the team of a first meeting with the ITA earlier this year.
“Team member David Rozman was informally contacted in April 2025 by a member of ITA staff, who asked him about alleged historical communications,” Ineos said.
“Although the ITA assured David at the time that he was not under investigation, Ineos promptly commissioned a thorough review by an external law firm,” it added, without elaborating.
The news came as the 171.5km 18th stage finished atop the Col de la Loze, where Australian Ben O’Connor (Team Jayco AlUla) won from an early breakaway to take his first stage victory of this year’s Tour.
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) maintained his iron grip on the yellow jersey, extending his gap to Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the general classification by nine seconds to lead the Dane by 4′26 overall after the pair finished the stage in second and third respectively.
Ireland’s Ben Healy remains ninth in the GC after Thursday’s stage, finishing 17th, 9′28 behind O’Connor.
