In an interview with SRF, Thomas Peter, Managing Director of Swiss Cycling, describes how Flückiger's positive doping test became known. "We were informed of the positive test at 14.45 by Swiss Sports Integrity. We are all speechless. I don't even know what kind of substance it is or what medication it's found in."

Peter describes Flückiger's reaction to the doping finding: "It was very, very difficult news for him. He was shocked by it." Peter continues: "It's now also about protecting Mathias. He is on his way (from the European Championships in Munich, editor's note) to Switzerland. He now deserves good support in these difficult moments."

An open question also remains as to why it took more than two months for the positive sample to be announced. "That is unclear to us. We don't know why it took so long and why the news came exactly one day before the European Championships," reports Peter. "This is always difficult news, there would certainly have been easier times for us. Not just for Mathias Flückiger, but also for the whole team."

Peter describes how Flückiger is currently feeling, also in view of the crash with Schurter in Lenzerheide and after the coronavirus: "His psyche was already under a lot of strain beforehand. He's not as self-confident and in as good a mental state as a top athlete should normally be. Now this blow is on top of that. That's why we've also made sure he has professional support."