Miguel Ángel López reacts furiously to provisional doping suspension from the UCI: "This damages my honor and reputation'

Miguel Ángel López has been provisionally suspended by the UCI due to alleged use and possession of prohibited substances leading up to the 2022 Giro d'Italia. The UCI announced this on Tuesday through a press release.

López has been the subject of a doping investigation involving Spanish doctor Maynar for quite some time, which had already cost him his contract with the Astana Qazaqstan Team. The climber, who has won stages in various grand tours, rode for that team last year. "Astana has discovered new elements pointing to a connection between López and Doctor Marcos Maynar. The team had no other choice but to terminate the contract," it was stated in a press release at the time. Doctor Maynar himself claimed that he had only provided nutritional advice to the climber.

Team boss Alexandre Vinokourov, who has his own checkered past, later elaborated. "I cannot go into details or say much. However, we have rules within our team, and if you don't follow them, you're out. There's nothing more to say." The UCI announced on Tuesday that it has received evidence from Spanish authorities of López's possession and use of doping in the lead up to the 2022 Giro. The Colombian dropped out of that race fairly early with knee issues, though these circumstances were later linked last year to suspected cheating.

Lopez was still active as a rider this year

López rode for a smaller South American team (Medellin EPM) this year, but was set to participate in the World Cycling Championship in Scotland next week. In January, he won the Vuelta a San Juan, ahead of Remco Evenepoel among others. The 29-year-old rider has been provisionally suspended by the UCI, pending a final decision. López has always maintained his innocence, and is even involved in an ongoing procedure with the CAS against his former team Astana.

He reaffirmed this in an official statement via his official channels. "I don't know what evidence the UCI used, but I want to make clear that there is no objective evidence that I used doping. All my test results in my biological passport are negative and I have never received, used, or asked for prohibited substances, not in the Giro and not in the rest of my career. I will take all legal steps to clear my name, asking to lift my suspension immediately, as it is disproportionate and based on public facts that have never been explained."

Due to the suspension, López is set to miss the World Championship, for which he was recently selected by the Colombian Cycling Federation. "This suspension not only damages my honor and reputation, but also affects my entire team, Team Medellín, the national team of Colombia, and the reputation of cycling. By questioning my career without concrete evidence or clear results."