Eolo-Kometa crew supervisor Ivan Basso has denied that the crew he manages with Alberto Contador is serious about signing Miguel Angel López, who’s recently provisionally suspended for a possible anti-doping rule violation.
Studies of López’s imaginable long term emerged in Colombia past due closing week, with a number of native media selecting up the scoop from Antena 2+.
López’s compatriots Jhonatan Restrepo and Germán Darío Gómez have already been introduced as new signings for Eolo-Komerta, which will probably be referred to as Group Polto Kometa in 2024, however Basso insisted that the crew isn’t serious about signing López.
“Everyone knows that Miguel Ángel López is an excellent rider, and an excessively sturdy climber, however he isn’t a part of our plans and we’ve by no means mentioned him throughout the crew,” Basso instructed Tuttobiciweb and different media, who prefer to concentrate on different new signings.
“I will be able to say that we will be able to announce two vital switch information within the coming days. As they are saying… keep tuned.”
The signing is extensively anticipated to be Matteo Fabbro, who’s contract with Bora-Hansgrohe ends this yr.
In July the UCI introduced that López were provisionally suspended for the “use and ownership of a prohibited substance within the weeks previous to the Giro d’Italia 2022.”
The motion got here after an investigation carried out by way of the Global Checking out Company (ITA), the impartial frame that plays anti-doping controls and investigations for the UCI.
ITA received proof from Operacion Ilex carried out by way of the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Spanish Anti-Doping Organisation (CELAD). López used to be related to Operacion Ilex for his connections to physician Marcos Maynar who’s on the centre of the Spanish investigation.
Maynar used to be arrested on Might eleventh, sooner or later after López’s marvel withdrawal from the Giro d’Italia because of a leg harm. Information in regards to the arrest led Astana to droop López on July 22, 2022, “till the entire instances of the case are clarified”. After seeing proof that López had a “possible reference to Dr Marcos Maynar” Astana terminated López’s contract in December.
He joined the Medellin-EPM Continental crew for the 2023 season and received the Vuelta a San Juan, ruled the Vuelta a Colombia and a bunch of alternative small races ahead of being suspended.
Operacion Ilex used to be again within the headlines closing week after the Caja Rural-Seguros RGA crew made a police criticism in Spain after the nameless distribution of proof from investigation linking its riders to Dr Maynar.