Doping crackdown continues: Two Portuguese riders handed heavy bans due to "unexplained abnormalities"

The Portuguese Anti-Doping Authority (ADoP) has confirmed lengthy suspensions for two experienced Portuguese riders, further deepening the scrutiny on the domestic peloton. Venceslau Fernandes has been handed a six-year ban, while Rafael Silva has received a four-year sanction, adding to a growing list of biological passport cases in the region.

The sanctions target two former winners of the Volta a Portugal do Futuro, a key development race for Portuguese talent. Fernandes, 30, won the event in 2018, while the 35-year-old Silva claimed the title in 2012.

Fernandes’ six-year suspension stems from "unexplained abnormalities" in his Athlete Biological Passport. “On 7 November 2024, the Portuguese rider Venceslau Fernandes was notified by the National Anti-Doping Agency of Portugal (ADoP) of an ADRV, due to unexplained abnormalities in his ABP in 2023," the ADoP statement says.

According to the ADoP’s updated disciplinary list, his ban officially commenced on November 28, 2025. However, credit has been given for the time served during his provisional suspension, meaning the ban is effective from November 7, 2024.

His case had already triggered wider consequences for his squad, the Continental outfit APHotels & Resorts-Tavira-SC Farense. In September, the UCI suspended the team for 20 days under Article 11.3 of the Anti-Doping Rules, which mandates a team suspension if two riders commit anti-doping rule violations within a twelve-month period. The second case involved Delio Fernandez Cruz.

Rafael Silva’s four-year ban confirms the circumstances surrounding his sudden retirement earlier this year. The rider announced he was hanging up his wheels on January 28, 2024, immediately after being notified by ADoP regarding adverse findings. His sanction is backdated to account for his initial suspension period starting February 5, 2024, and will run until February 4, 2028.

These latest rulings reinforce a troubling trend within Portuguese cycling, where biological passport controls have become a primary tool for detecting violations.

In December, António Carvalho was also handed a four-year ban by the UCI for similar ABP abnormalities. The cumulative effect of these cases has placed significant pressure on the local teams. APHotels & Resorts - Tavira - SC Farense became the second Portuguese squad to face a collective suspension from the UCI in recent years, following the high-profile collapse of W52-FC Porto in 2022 due to systemic doping offenses.