Jonathan Tiernan-Locke names team after Cornwall's saint - what do they have in common?

Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, whose two-year doping ban ended on 31 December, has revealed that he has set up a new team, called Saint Piran – who reputedly lived in the 5th Century AD – for his return to racing.

While the former Team Sky rider – sacked following his ban, and also stripped of his 2012 Tour of Britain title – comes from across the Tamar in Devon, his team bears the name of Cornwall’s patron saint.

But looking at the legend of St Piran, we’ve found some similarities between them that perhaps help explain his choice.

St Piran suffered persecution at the hands of Irish leaders.

JTL was placed under investigation when Pat McQuaid headed the UCI – with some conspiracy theorists claiming that targeting a British rider was a ploy by the Irishman in his campaign for re-election against Brian Cookson.

St Piran was said to have had a millstone placed round his neck before being thrown in the Irish Sea.

JTL also has a millstone around his neck – more of a metaphorical one, the stigma of being a convicted doper.

St Piran was canonised as a result of performing miracles. *

JTL’s early-2012 victories in the Tours of the Mediterranean and Haut Var were similarly viewed as miraculous by the French press.

St Piran was reputedly fond of a drink.

JTL blamed his biological passport anomalies on a 33-unit binge and has also received a drink-driving ban.

St Piran’s first disciples apparently included a badger.

JTL ... okay, we can’t find any evidence that Bernard Hinault has ever been a fan. Sorry.

Tiernan-Locke will return to competition at the end of this month as a Category 2 racer in the Mid-Devon Cycling Club’s Primavera meeting.

As for St Piran, if you’ve been to Cornwall, you’ll have seen his flag, a white cross on a black background. Outside the Duchy, you’re most likely to see it on a Ginster’s pasty wrapper.

* Editor's note: St Piran retains the right to request an analysis of his B sample.