Miguel Ángel López has been expelled from Astana Qazaqstan Team with immediate effect. Colombian cycling is undergoing dark days as months after Nairo Quintana's positive tramadol test, another of it's stars is involved in a doping scandal.
The Kazakh team have issued a statement this Monday stating that they would be ending the partnership with the climbing specialist with immediate effect. "Astana Qazaqstan Team discovered new elements showing M. A. Lopez' probable connection with Dr M. Maynar. Accordingly, the team had no other solution than to end the contract between team and rider, based on breaches of said contract and internal team rules, with immediate effect," the statement read.
López had already been interrogated in August upon his return to Europe over the very same case. Whilst at the time he claimed to be innocent in a drug trafficking ring - which has in the meantime been exposed - he has denied any involvement. “There is no active investigation at this time. My lawyers will take the necessary legal action if necessary," he said, going on to race between others, the Vuelta a Espana where he finished fourth overall.
In late November Spanish authorities dismantled a doping ring in Spain headed by Dr Marcos Maynar, a university professor and doctor at the University of Cáceres. Two people were arrested at the time and as many as six people were under investigation, including former KELME manager Vicente Belda. López would be one of these people, as the connections were found in July.
Evidence would suggest otherwise however, as his own team took the decision to remove López from it's list, just weeks before the season start. Although he has not been suspended or sanctioned by the UCI, López finds himself in a situation alike Quintana earlier this year where he stands without a contract following doping-connected issues.
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- I'm deeply sick of this guy and his unwillingness to race seriously for more than a month or two. I'll never respect riders who do that. Seixas will be stronger than him next season, and maybe Del Toro as well. I don't even think he'll finish on the podium at any GT where Pogi, Seixas, and Del Toro are racing.megasmacky15-11-2026
- Not a chance in hell.megasmacky15-11-2026
- If you go watch some races from last season other riders that have never caught Jonas...are now catching him. Some are just riding away from him and he can't hold the wheelmd197514-11-2026
- He just doesn't have the desire anymore. I read an article earlier today that said he almost retired last year. His reasoning was he is away from home to much. Visma was able to keep him riding by allowing him to skip certain camps. So, while currently Visma is doing altitude work...Jonas is at home. Which means 2 things. 1- He maybe fresher than other riders. But, not the condition. 2-Is a somewhat slap in the face to others on the team that are supposed to help him win. Yet feel like he hasn't done what they have so perhaps they don't provide as good of protection or they ride more for theme (which the team may not notice).md197514-11-2026
- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
- Martinez had a good year! 5th at the Tour was a great result for him, albeit largely through getting in successful breaks, but he held it better than Pidcock who’d done the same.Lozza14-11-2026
- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
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Official statement on Miguel Angel Lopez: 📰👉bit.ly/3VSCCFw
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