Former Movistar rider suspended by UCI assures he's "clean athlete and a person of integrity"

Oier Lazkano, Spanish rider from Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, has defended his innocence after a suspension by the UCI due to irregularities in his Biological Passport (an individual electronic record with the results of all anti-doping tests) between 2022 and 2024, when he worked for Movistar Team. As a consequence, his current team, Red Bull, terminated his contract, confirming he is no longer part of the team, and erasing him from the website.

A shocked Lazkano denied all charges in a statement sent to AS, saying that he will take all actions necessary to clean his name, and trusts "in truth and sports justice" as the process continues. Lazkano's suspension will be indefinite.

"I have never used doping substances or prohibited methods. I am a clean athlete and a person of integrity. I will continue, with determination and transparency, to defend my name and professional dignity. My career has been built on effort, dedication, honesty, and daily work", he said.

His former team Movistar said that all controls to which he was subjected to by different national and international organizations were negative, so "it was materially impossible to know, or even intuit, any anomaly such as the one now presented in the procedure opened by the International Cycling Union."

Lazkano's last race was Paris Roubaix in April. His best results came with Movistar, including winning Clásica Jaén in 2024, third at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and a top ten finish at the Critérium du Dauphiné.