"It's as if I had died for them" - Miguel Ángel López upset with complete lack of contact from Astana since sacking

Miguel Ángel López and his sacking from Astana Qazaqstan Team were one of the big stories of the winter. The Colombian was not left with good feedback from the situation, and talks of a lack of contact and worry from the team.

"It's a complex and delicate issue that has caused a lot of damage," López told Cyclingnews. "They turned their backs on me, they threw me out and since that day I have not spoken to anyone in the team. It's as if I had died for them."

The revelation doesn't come as a big surprise, as the Kazakh team has fired him on the spot after learning of López' very likely involvement in a doping ring in Spain, which has been dismantles in 2022.

However, López had turned pro with the team in 2015, and was part of it in all but one of his pro seasons. "I felt strange because my relationship with the team goes back a decade. There wasn't even a 'Hello, how are you?' or 'How are you coping?'"

"They told me I was leaving when many teams had already closed, so it was very complicated. My anti-doping biological passport controls are unblemished, and that is what counts. Today I am allowed to compete in any team," he argues.

The team has since moved on. recently revealing the signings of Mark Cavendish and Cees Bol after a month of rumours, which surged after López' situation, which freed the necessary budget.

Now, the 28-year old aims differently, at home and with the continental Team Medellín - EPM. However, a dominant victory in a local race and the reports of very impressive numbers up the famous Alto de las Palmas in Colombia hint at his great form ahead of the Vuelta a San Juan.

"The main objective now is to enjoy being in Colombia, to be with my family and the fans. I want to enjoy every moment to its maximum. Here, the rhythm of the race is different, and there are many factors that count, but we're fine."

"I'm super motivated and eager," López continued. "Once again, I have the hope to fight and enjoy with the great teammates I have, to race in my country, to share with the people, to be tranquil, and to live cycling more fully."

He will be facing the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Daniel Martínez who have sat on the very top of cycling's climber field last year. "I haven't been able to train very well at the end of 2022, it has been complicated. But we have an excellent team, great teammates, and very good people. We're going to do well, without pressure, and enjoy and live every moment, which is the most important thing," he concluded.