Colombia explodes against the UCI! 57 positive for tramadol and 2 sanctioned, among them Nairo Quintana
Cycling
In the complex world of professional cycling, details are often intertwined with controversy, and one of the most recent cases that has raised questions is that of Nairo Quintana. Among the 57 cyclists who tested positive for tramadol in 2022, only two faced sanctions from the International Cycling Union, and one of them was the Colombian. This has caused his country to cry out against the UCI.
Since 2019, tramadol, although not listed as a doping substance (it will be as of January 1, 2024), is subject to penalties by the UCI. Although it is not considered a performance-enhancing substance, its use can have negative impacts on cyclists' health and safety in races. Therefore, the UCI has imposed significant sanctions to discourage its use.
Nairo Quintana's case came to attention in August 2022, when the UCI notified him of his positive for tramadol during the Tour de France on two separate occasions. The sanction included disqualification from the event, removal of UCI points and a fine. What followed, however, was an unraveling of events that amplified the consequences of the case. To date, Nairo Quintana has failed to find a new team, which has led to speculation about a possible veto against him.
Intriguingly, a document has come to light revealing that 57 samples of competing professional cyclists tested positive for tramadol in 2022 alone, the same year Quintana was sanctioned. Surprisingly, the UCI took action only against the Colombian cyclist and Mykhalo Kononenko, while the other 55 riders received no notifications or sanctions from the organization. This raises a fundamental question: Why?
Raul Banqueri, a renowned journalist, has pointed out the curious contrast in this case. "In 2016, 6.5% of anti-doping samples contained tramadol. This substance has been banned since March 1, 2019. Among the 57 positive samples in 2022, only 2 cyclists were sanctioned: Nairo Quintana and Mykhaylo Kononenko. We do not know what happened to the rest of the positive samples."
This is what they are asking in Colombia after Banqueri's information: "The discrepancy between the number of positive cases and the sanctions imposed raises legitimate questions about the fairness of the UCI's application of the rules and sanctions. Is it possible that there is a certain amount of attention focused on Nairo Quintana? The lack of clarity on this issue only fuels speculation and highlights the need for transparency in UCI decisions."
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Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
- That is a very lazy way of putting it but so far on this website it seems like everyone is happy to look at everything lazily, even things that annoy them intensely. All they want to do is state their feeling and position but ask most to analyse a problem or come up with solutions or improvements and you’re stunned by silence. Nobody even really knows how this all happens. It’s very simple and quick to just say the UCI did it but I bet you they didn’t, I bet you not more than 2 people were involved, more likely just 1. The UCI may be ultimately responsible but it is not their decision, this is about hierarchy, power and delegation. The fact that protest is possible also means it isn’t over and that MORE people could get involved for a thorough review which could throw up anything. It is highly likely it was a sole commissar who decided and has that power in a first round. Therein might lie the problem the UCI has to consider, is it acceptable to give so much authority to one single person when it is quite possible for them to have a natural bias or be too easily susceptible to imposed bias. Who is to say an individual in this position isn’t susceptible to collaboration with outside players with interests in the results, nations, families, teams, betting companies, etc. On the one hand we have sports where these problems have been worked on way more to reduce such problems, on the other hand we have sports with far stricter and more draconian rules not even concerning safety or obstruction that nobody really questions like false starts or stepping out of lane or zones in athletics. If cycling hastowork on itself, it would be good if protagonists (all kinds) would start doing a little more than just moaning over outcomes.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- What a race! I didn't expect Vanthourenhout to collapse like that, and Wyseure did take the fight to Nys, but there was no doubt at the end. I also wonder what Aubin Sparfel would be capable of were he to race in the elites now. In the U23 ranks he is making good work of Giel Lejeune, who himself is among the better riders in the elites, and a top 10 contender in the big races (3rd at Kleebergcross, 8th at Berencross and 5th at Heerderstrand). In the French Cup, Sparfel is significantly better than Romain Debord (8th at Koppenbergcross and 10th at the Euros) and Rémi Lelandais (12th at Koppenbergcross and 19th at the Euros).
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
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In 2016, 6.5% of anti-doping samples contained tramadol. This substance is banned since 1 March 2019. Among the 57 positive samples in 2022, only 2 cyclists were sanctioned: Nairo Quintana and Mykhaylo Kononenko. We don’t know what happened to the rest of the positive samples.
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