Two top Gran Fondo riders have been suspended as they are accused of using blood boosting EPO.
One of the riders, Raúl Portillo from Spain, is a Gran
Fondo world champion. He has strongly denied using EPO or cheating in any way.
Portillo (45) has won the Spanish Grand Fondo title four
times. Last year he was crowned UCI Gran Fondo champion in both the TT and road
race.
The other Gran Fondo rider banned over alleged EPO use is
José Antonio Larrea; a 36-year-old Spanish rider.
Portillo is a leading rider in the 40-45 years aged group
and aside from winning the world titles he has also claimed many other big
wins.
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They included the Three Days of Mallorca masters stage
race last year. He also won Volta a la Marina Altaparcent and Trofeo Ayunt
Pielagos-Carandia.
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Both of the cyclists have been suspended, on the basis of
an analysis of samples, by the Basque Anti-Doping Agency, supported by the World
Anti-Doping Agency.
However, while both riders have been suspended those
suspensions are provisional as both have the right to have their B samples
tested.
No rider is convicted of doping until after they have
waived their right to have the B sample tested or that sample is tested and
confirms the findings of the A sample analysis.
That stage of the process has been completed for neither
rider, meaning they are not convicted of the allegations they face.
It was unclear when the processes against them would be
concluded and final outcomes of guilt or innocence arrived at.
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