The investigation into the relationship of Miguel Ángel López with Dr. Marcos Maynar and a drug trafficking network would have new evidence that has led the International Cycling Union (UCI) to make the decision to provisionally suspend the cyclist alluding to a possible anti-doping rule violation.
The UCI continues to close the siege around Miguel Ángel López and his relationship with the doping substance trafficking network allegedly led by Dr. Marcos Maynar, who was uncovered by the Civil Guard in 2014 in what is known as the Ilex operation, of which only The names of Maynar and López have come out although, according to some sources, there would be several directors of cycling teams and a swimming coach involved.
A relationship that already caused, in the month of December, shortly before the start of the 2023 season, that Astana decided to terminate the contract with the cyclist unilaterally, which led Miguel Ángel López to land in Colombia where he found accommodation in the ranks. of Team Medellín with whom he has been developing a successful season in the American continental calendar.
However, the UCI has now decided to provisionally suspend the rider, who had set his sights on the next World Championship in Glasgow, thanks to the evidence provided by the Civil Guard and the Spanish Anti-Doping Agency that would demonstrate an infraction by the cyclist of the rules regarding the use and possession of doping substances. A provisional suspension that will be maintained until a final resolution is adopted, as announced by the brief statement issued by the highest cycling body.
For its part, Team Medellín issued a statement of support for its rider, noting, as usual in these cases, that López has not tested positive in any control while calling on all its fans to also support the cyclist.
The last years of Miguel Ángel López have been a real soap opera after joining the Movistar Team in 2021, from which he abruptly left after abandoning, for no other reason than a cable crossing, from La Vuelta a España. He would find a home back in Astana, his lifelong team with whom he had a passable season with a fourth place overall at La Vuelta as the highlight.
However, by then the Spanish Civil Guard was already on his trail in relation to the Illex operation, arriving to be registered in the month of July 2022 upon arrival at the Barajas airport and, in the month of December, with the season About to start, the Kazakh team decided to do without the services of the Colombian cyclist after finding out new aspects of his relationship with Doctor Maynar.
Contrary to what happened with his compatriot Nairo Quintana, López accepted the Medellín team’s offer to join their ranks and has continued to compete and achieve numerous victories, highlighting the one achieved in the Vuelta a San Juan ahead of Filippo Ganna and Sergio Higuita.
The future for “Supermán” López is bleak, taking into account that when the UCI takes a measure as forceful as the precautionary suspension, it must have observed clear evidence of non-compliance with the rules.
A suspension that practically rules out his presence in the Cycling World Championships, in which López had placed his hopes of showing himself again at the highest level of cycling, hoping in this way to attract the gaze of a European squad with which to return cycling at the highest level.
Source: www.uci.ch y www.brujulabike.com