Mammoth Gran Fondo, Sept 7th 2024 - Register Now!
United States | Midwest | Ohio >> Two UCI Gran Fondo Champions suspended for suspected doping

Two UCI Gran Fondo Champions suspended for suspected EPO doping

Two Spanish cyclists have been suspended following anti-doping tests, suspected EPO use

45-year-old Spanish cyclist Raúl Portillo was crowned UCI Gran Fondo champion in the Time Trial and Gran Fondo in 2018.

45-year-old four time Spanish cyclists Raúl Portillo was crowned UCI Gran Fondo champion in the Time Trial and Gran Fondo in 2018.

The other rider named is 36-year-old Basque rider José Antonio Larrea.

EPO, short for erythropoietin, is used to increase the number of red blood cells and hence oxygen supply to the body, which is performance enhancing.

Portillo won in the 45-49 age category group at the 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Varese. He was also fastest overall by covering the 22.5 kilometre Time Trial course in 28 minutes 15 seconds, an average speed of 46.7kph. 

>>> 2,400 cyclists tackle 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Italy <<<

Portillo trains regularly in Andorra and rides for the Norinver Cycling Team.

Portillo won the 2018 Three Days of Mallorca masters race, attended by a host of masters racers worldwide.

He also won Spanish races, the Volta a la Marina Alta-Parcent and the Trofeo Ayunt.Pielagos-Carandia in 2018.

Both of the riders were subject to targeted testing and that “authorities were alerted by their victories.”

Portillo is rumoured to have stated "I can only tell you that in the last control I took, they tell me that it is positive. I do not agree with this and I am waiting for the report of the result and the analysis of the sample.”

Both riders have been suspended by the Basque Anti-Doping Agency (AVA) and internationally this suspension is supported by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

A 2015 report by the UCI’s Independent Commission for Reform in Cycling stated that: “Masters races were said to have middle-aged businessmen winning on EPO, with some of them training as hard as professional riders and putting in comparable performances.”

The report also stated that professional riders avoided Gran Fondos “because they were so competitive due to the number of riders doping”.

Both suspended riders have the right for their B samples to be tested.

Officially both riders are innocent until proven guilty and all doping tests follow strict rules and guidelines. The sustance for which they have been suspended for, is officially "unidentified". 

Rumours in the Spanish press point to EPO as the substance.

More on this story to follow in due course ...

 
Tag: ucigfws
 
Apr 19 2024 - NEWS: Krainer and Brand take victory at UCI Tour de Brisbane
Apr 14 2024 - NEWS: Simenc and Zandri fastest at UCI Istria Granfondo in Croatia
Apr 02 2024 - NEWS: Tibitanzl and Zakarin win the 2024 Skoda UCI Gran Fondo Cyprus
Mar 14 2024 - NEWS: Lepoutre and de Vries fastest at the inaugural Millars Granfondo in Spain
Mar 06 2024 - NEWS: Moerman and Lourenco fastest at growing Granfondo Coimbra Region
Feb 27 2024 - NEWS: Orekhov and Baleisyte fastest at UCI Spinneys Dubai 92 Challenge
Feb 23 2024 - NEWS: Rafal Majka's Gran Fondo no longer qualifier for the 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships
Feb 03 2024 - NEWS: New UCI-ranked Gran Fondo Ireland launched as Worlds qualification event
Feb 04 2024 - NEWS: Zein and Basim fastest at the 2nd edition of the UCI GranFondo Jordan 2024
Jan 31 2024 - NEWS: New race route revealed for the 2024 Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge
Jan 19 2024 - NEWS: 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Series bigger than ever before
Nov 13 2023 - NEWS: Registration opens for the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge
Oct 03 2023 - NEWS: VIDEO: Behind the scenes at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
Sep 14 2023 - NEWS: 2024 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Demark reveals courses
Aug 08 2023 - NEWS: Israel-Premier Tech’s Sylvan Adams wins double World Titles in Scotland
Sep 15 2016 - RESULTS: Record 5,500 riders at 6th Edition of Amys Gran Fondo
Sep 04 2016 - RESULTS: 17 new UCI Gran Fondo World Champions in Australia
Jun 06 2016 - RESULTS: 8,000 cyclists take part in the UK Tour of Cambridgeshire UCI Gran Fondo
Apr 21 2024 - EVENT: Neusiedlersee Radmarathon
Apr 25 2024 - EVENT: 66 Degrés Sud
Apr 27 2024 - EVENT: La Bourgogne Cyclo
May 04 2024 - EVENT: La Lozérienne Cyclo
May 12 2024 - EVENT: 3RIDES Gran Fondo
May 19 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Vosges
May 25 2024 - EVENT: Schleck Gran Fondo
May 26 2024 - EVENT: Hawaii Express 41 Tartu Rattaralli
Jun 01 2024 - EVENT: 0-2000 Cycling Challenge
Jun 07 2024 - EVENT: Maraton Franja BTC City
Jun 08 2024 - EVENT: Majka Gran Fondo
Jun 08 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Svendborg
Jun 09 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Costa Rica
Jun 15 2024 - EVENT: Niseko Classic
Jul 05 2024 - EVENT: Gran Fondo Suisse