Drama in Argentina again - Former time-trial champion Laureano Rosas tests positive for banned substance

Argentina has in the past seen Gonzalo Najar test positive for CERA months after winning the country's top race, the Vuelta a San Juan. Last year veteran Juan Pablo Dotti was also suspended and today there has been a new hit to the South American nation as two-time time-trial national champion Laureano Rosas has also tested positive for a banned substance.

Recently a Polish rider tested positive for EPO at the World Championships and it comes as a harsh reminder that the sport is still far from being fully clean. Laureano Rosas, rider of the Swift Carbon Pro Cycling Team, is 34 years in age and according to Ciclo21 will be suspended for four years - although it hasn't been revealed what substance he tested positive for. This comes as another hit for the Argentinian nation, which has seen some of it's top riders be taken out from racing and having their reputation permanently tarnished.

Rosas is a rider of high relevance in the country, now far from his prime but in the past having won the time-trial national championships in 2014 and 2016. Alongside this he has won races such as the Vuelta a Formosa and stage wins here, at the Volta Ciclista del Uruguay, Vuelta del Porvenir... At semi-professional level he has won the Vuelta Ciclista de Mendoza this year in Argentina and also a stage at the Volta Ciclistica de Goiás.