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Paris (AFP) – The Colombian Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) “was disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France”, in which he finished in sixth place, due to a medical infraction, the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced on August 17. The athlete’s environment advanced that it is an “error” that they are going to demonstrate.
“Colombian runner Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas was sanctioned for violating the ban on the use of tramadol in competition,” the UCI explained in a statement on Wednesday, August 17.
The international body also specified that it is a violation of anti-doping rules and that the cyclist can appeal within 10 days.
The UCI noted that the two dried blood samples provided by the rider were analyzed on July 8 (stage 7) and July 13 (stage 11) during the ‘Grande Boucle’ and revealed the presence of tramadol.
As this is a first offence, Nairo Quintana, 32, remains eligible and can participate in the rest of the competitions.
Although it has not been officially pronounced, the athlete’s environment advanced that the accusation is a “mistake” and that they will demonstrate it before the cycling authority.
1/2 UCI reports: Traces of the painkiller tramadol were found in Nairo Quintana’s blood tests at the Tour de France. This substance is on the list of controlled drugs since March 2019 in all the disciplines governed by the UCI, but it does not constitute a doping offense pic.twitter.com/OXCaZqKtu0
– Goga Ruiz-Sandoval (@BiciGoga) August 17, 2022
The Arkéa-Samsic team, which announced on Tuesday the renewal of the Colombian until 2025, counts on Quintana to lead the team during the Vuelta a España, which starts on Friday from Utrecht, in the Netherlands.
The UCI prohibits the use of tramadol in competition in all disciplines and categories since March 1, 2019, “with the aim of preserving the health of runners, taking into account the side effects of this substance,” explains the UCI in its release.
This disqualification allows Frenchman Romain Bardet (DSM) to occupy the Colombian’s sixth position in the general classification of the 2022 Tour de France.
At the start of the last stage of the Tour, Quintana declared that he was not in his best form.
“These last few days I wasn’t feeling well, I was having a hard time breathing, but the teamwork in general has been very good and we are in the top ten of the Tour de France,” he said.
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