bad news for Nairo Quintana. The Columbia Corridor Archaea Samsic has been disqualified from the past Tour de France after traces of tramadol were found in two blood samples taken during the last edition of the French circuit. As reported by International Cycling Unionthe results of the coffee corridor are completely nullified in the gala test, since it is a substance prohibited by the organism itself.
However, in the same statement announcing the Colombian’s positive result, it was clarified that there will be no doping sanction for the winner of the Italy is spinning and on the return, so it could be in the Spanish circuit, which starts in just a few days. The climber was included in Arkea’s official list to participate in the national competition, but it remains to be seen how they will now handle this situation after the positive notification from the UCI.
The Spanish circuit starts on August 19 and there is little time left to find out what decision the French line-up will make after the Colombian rider’s renewal until 2025 was announced just a few days ago. Astana, Archea hastened to close the sequence of its star. There was also speculation about a possible signing from UAEbut Joxen Fernandez Matsingeneral manager of the Arab formation, confirmed to THE SPANIARDS that these rumors are false.
[Igor Arrieta, Iván Romeo y Fernando Tercero en el Tour de l’Avenir: la nueva hornada ciclista de España]
L’histoire se pursuit. https://t.co/e2M8dPzqMx pic.twitter.com/JEn9vWzBxg
– Team Arkéa Samsic (@Arkea_Samsic) August 16, 2022
Nairo has now received a new blow with this particular positive result for doping, which, however, will not carry a sanction, as is usual in the case of other findings of illegal behavior, as the UCI itself explained in its statement.
“The International Cycling Union (UCI) announces that Colombian runner Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas has been sanctioned for breaching the ban on the use of tramadol in competition established in UCI Medical Rules in order to protect the safety and health of runners from the side effects of this substance’.
[Egan Bernal regresa ocho meses después de su brutal accidente: “Este tiempo es algo que nunca olvidaré”]
“Analyses of two blood samples provided by the competitor on July 8 and 13 during the Tour de France 2022 revealed the presence of tramadol and its two main metabolites. In accordance with the UCI medical rules, the rider remains disqualified from the Tour de France 2022 This decision can be appealed to Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the next 10 days.”
“During the 2022 Tour de France, a total of 120 blood samples were taken as part of the tramadol programme. Violations of the in-competition ban on tramadol are offenses under the UCI medical regulations. They do not constitute anti-doping rule violations. As this was a first offence, Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas has not been declared ineligible and can therefore compete. The UCI will not comment further on the matter.
[El ocho del Movistar Team para La Vuelta: la última de Valverde con Mas y Verona contra el descenso]
Nairo Quintana during the last Tour de France
Tramadol treatment
In addition, the International Cycling Union tried to shed some light on the treatment with this substance, the control of which is the order of the day: “From March 1, 2019, the UCI banned the use of tramadol in competitions in all disciplines and categories in order to protect the health and safety of runners from the side effects of this substance. Samples are collected from International Testing Agency (ITA) using the reference blood stain method (DBS)”.
“Development of the Swiss company DBS systems, sampling kits are used to perform this minimally invasive test, which involves collecting a small amount of blood from the runner’s fingertip. Sample analysis is performed independently in Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology of the University of Genevausing a peer-reviewed method to determine the presence or absence and amount of tramadol and its two major metabolites.”
[Juan Ayuso, García Pierna y Carlos Rodríguez: así son las tres ilusiones de España en La Vuelta]
“The results are then sent to Center for Research and Specialization in Anti-Doping Sciences (REDs) of the University of Lausanne for final independent review. The results are finally presented at Medical director of the intensive care unitwhich performs results management in accordance with the UCI medical rules’.
Since it is the first time Nairo Quintana has been surprised by a positive result related to this substance, the Colombian runner will not receive a more severe sanction than the annulment of his results in the French circuit that ended last July. Therefore, if nothing changes, he will be able to be in La Vuelta, despite the fact that Arkea has not yet made a statement about it.