Belgian track star confirms return to competition after 2-year doping ban

For Shari Bossuyt, the suspension suffered after her doping case has come to an end after 2 years out of competition. The AG Insurance - Soudal rider will return to the peloton after confirmation from the Belgian team in an official statement.

However, Soudal also announces that her first race will be a long time coming. First, Bossuyt will train with the team, and in July she will make her debut in the 2025 season.

The 24-year-old rider tested positive for letrozole in 2023 while competing at the Tour de Normandie, when she was still a member of Canyon-SRAM. In her defense, Shari Bossuyt claimed that the positive was caused by contaminated food.

"The French anti-doping agency confirms and recognizes the fact that the contamination was not intentional. But we cannot, as in the case of Toon Aerts, prove exactly the origin of the contamination, so the legal framework does not allow you to grant me a further reduction of the penalty," said the Belgian-born cyclist.

Before her sanction, the star of her country's track cycling had already won the world championship in Madison in 2022, teaming up with Lotte Kopecky. That same season she came 2nd at the Belgian Time Trial Championships. Earlier, in 2020, she was bronze medalist at the Belgian Road Championships.

"Shari is determined to show what she is capable of and is very eager to race with the team. We believe that Shari has a great future ahead of her, and that the team can be a perfect environment for her to make it happen," said Jurgen Foré, director of AG Insurance - Soudal.