Oier Lazkano has spoken out, pleading his innocence, after he was provisionally suspended by the UCI over 'unexplained abnormalities' in his biological passport.
Last week, the Basque rider was revealed to have been suspended, and his then team, Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, announced that he was no longer riding for them.
The abnormalities occurred during Lazkano's time at Movistar, 2022-2024, according to the UCI; it was also when his most notable results occurred, including victory at the Clásica Jaén Paraiso Interior in 2024, and at the Spanish National Championships the season previously.
Lazkano joined Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe at the beginning of 2025, but had not raced for the team since Paris-Roubaix in April.
Last week, Movistar stated "with absolute firmness" their "unwavering commitment to a clean and transparent sport".
Over the weekend, Lazkano issued a statement of his own, as reported by Spanish newspaper AS.
"I have never used doping substances or prohibited methods," Lazkano said. "I am a clean athlete and a person of integrity. I will continue, with determination and transparency, to defend my name and professional dignity. My career has been built on effort, dedication, honesty, and daily work."
Lazkano added that he has put his faith "in the truth and in sporting justice", adding that he will battle to clear his name "with all necessary actions". He said that he has instructed a legal team to act.
The Movistar statement, published on Friday, read: "During the three seasons of contractual relationship with Mr Lazkano (of the five to which the UCI study refers) all the controls to which he was subjected by the different national and international organizations, as well as internal to the team itself, yielded a negative result. By virtue of this, it was materially impossible to know, or even intuit, any anomaly such as the one now presented in the procedure opened by the International Cycling Union.
"Abarca Sports reiterates once again with absolute firmness its unwavering commitment to a clean and transparent sport. To this end, we will redouble with absolute determination all the efforts, controls and measures that we have been promoting to date."
