Breaking Bad in the peloton? UCI provisionally suspends Kigali World Championship competitor who tested positive for methamphetamine

Cycling’s fight against doping never stops. Unfortunately, although the dark past of Lance Armstrong and his Tour de France victories is now behind us, cases continue to emerge that stain this beautiful sport.

Following the provisional suspension of Oier Lazkano for abnormalities in his biological passport, the case of Artyom Proskuryakov has now come to light.

The 18-year-old Azerbaijani rider has also been provisionally suspended. The sport’s governing body, the UCI, confirmed on Tuesday that the rider was notified after returning an adverse analytical finding during testing at the recent World Championships in Kigali. There, in the junior race, Proskuryakov tested positive for methamphetamine (D-), as revealed in two separate samples collected on 23 September.

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the substance is listed under class S6.A, which includes all non-specified stimulants that are banned in competition. This makes the case, which is now in the hands of the UCI, particularly serious for the Belarus-born rider, further aggravated by the fact that he competes in the junior category.

“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that Azerbaijani rider Artyom Proskuryakov has been notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding for Methamfetamine (D-) and its metabolites in two samples collected – as a result of intelligence-led-testing – during the 2025 UCI Road World Championships (Men Junior road race) on 23 September 2025.”*

“In accordance with the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the rider has been provisionally suspended. He has the right to request the analysis of the B samples.”

“The UCI will not comment further while the proceedings are ongoing.”

“The UCI delegated its anti-doping programme to the International Testing Agency (ITA) in January 2021, whilst retaining results management and the prosecution of anti-doping rules violations. Since then, cycling’s clean sport efforts have been led by the ITA Cycling Unit, which is dedicated specifically to all disciplines of cycling. The UCI and the ITA are bound by a service agreement which guarantees that the ITA operates in an independent manner.”

“ Methamfetamine (D-) and its metabolites are Prohibited Substances listed under class S6.A [Non-Specified Stimulants] of the 2025 Prohibited List which is maintained by the World Anti-Doping Agency and adopted by the UCI.”*