A blow of justice to Miguel Ángel López. According to Cycle 21, the CAS has dismissed the appeal against his doping sanction. Recall that the UCI had sanctioned him 4 years for menatropin use during the Giro d'Italia 2022.
Thus, the Colombian cyclist will have to serve his full sentence after the CAS refusal (until July 24, 2027), leaving his sporting career practically finished. What CAS has determined is that Lopez was in possession of the aforementioned doping substance (menatropin) and that he would have used it between May 1 and 5, 2022.
Recall that Lopez was investigated by the Spanish authorities as part of Operation Ilex in a doping scheme led by Dr. Marcos Maynar.
This is how the UCI explained the sanction against Miguel Ángel López at the time:
"The International Cycling Union (UCI) informs that the UCI Anti-Doping Tribunal has issued a decision against the Colombian rider Miguel Ángel López.
The Court found Miguel Angel Lopez guilty of an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) for use and possession of a prohibited substance (Menotropin)*, concomitant with the 2022 Giro d'Italia, and has imposed a four-year suspension.
In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI Anti-Doping Regulations, the suspension period began on July 25, 2023 and will remain in effect until July 24, 2027.
As a reminder, the disciplinary procedure was initiated following an investigation carried out by the International Testing Agency (ITA) on the basis of evidence obtained from the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Spanish Anti-Doping Organization (CELAD) in the so-called "Ilex" Operation concerning Dr. Marcos Maynar. The UCI welcomes this valuable collaboration.
In addition, in accordance with the Tribunal's Rules of Procedure, the decision will be published on the UCI website. The decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within one month.
The UCI will not comment further on the matter.
*Menotropin is a prohibited substance of class S2.2 (peptide hormones and their releasing factors) on the list of prohibited substances and methods maintained by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and adopted by the UCI.*Menotropin is a prohibited substance of class S2.2 (peptide hormones and their releasing factors) on the list of prohibited substances and methods maintained by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and adopted by the UCI.
The UCI delegated the operational activities of its anti-doping program to the International Testing Agency (ITA) in January 2021. Since then, cycling's clean sport efforts have been led by the ITA Cycling Unit, which is specifically dedicated to all cycling disciplines. The UCI and the ITA are linked by a service agreement that ensures that the ITA operates independently."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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