Life sometimes has funny coincidences. Whereas his contract extension until 2025 with his Arkéa Samsic team had been announced on Tuesday, we learned less than 24 hours later that Nairo Quintana tested positive on the Tour de France. It was with Tramadol, a powerful painkiller, that the runner tested positive twice on the Grande Boucle. He is therefore disqualified but is not suspended, the International Cycling Union (UCI) communicated on Wednesday.
At 32, Quintana took sixth place in the final standings in Paris, and he notably distinguished himself on the terrible slopes of the Col du Granon, finishing second behind Jonas Vingegaard the day the Dane took power.
The rider and his team have not yet reacted to this announcement, which taints the Colombian’s good season.
The UCI press release
“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that the Colombian rider Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas has been sanctioned for a violation of the ban on the use of tramadol in competition provided for by the UCI Medical Regulations in order to preserve the health and safety of runners given the side effects of this substance.
Analyzes of two dried blood samples provided by the rider on July 8 and 13 during the 2022 Tour de France revealed the presence of tramadol and its two main metabolites.
In accordance with the UCI Medical Regulations, the rider is disqualified from the Tour de France 2022. This decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 10 days.
During the Tour de France 2022, a total of 120 dried blood samples were collected as part of the tramadol program.
Violations of the in-competition ban on taking tramadol represent breaches of the UCI Medical Regulations. They do not constitute Anti-Doping Rule Violations. As this is a first offence, Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas is not declared ineligible and can therefore take part in competitions.
The UCI will not comment further on this matter.”
