It was the big Tour de France story away from the actual bike racing: an investigation by German media outlet ARD revealed that a Team Sky staff member who still worked at Ineos Grenadiers had allegedly contacted the disgraced German doctor Mark Schmidt before the 2012 Tour asking for the same “stuff” that the now-defunct Milram team once used.

While ARD didn’t initially name the individual, other outlets did, and ARD later confirmed him to be Ineos’ head carer, David Rozman. After ARD‘s report gained notice and other media began reporting on it during the Tour, the Slovenian was first told by Ineos to stay away from the stage start and finish towns, before he eventually left the race.

Throughout it all, Ineos stood by Rozman, and the team’s principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, repeatedly refused to answer questions about him, even at one point swearing at reporters as he evaded their questions. 

This article was published on Escape Collective in December 2025. To read the full article click here.