Oier Lazkano

[hrotha]

Wait, biological passports are still being looked at?!?

Also, are the Friars losing their touch or what

 

[AlpRaid]

unfortunately, it takes so much time...

apparently inconsistencies in 2022, 2023, and 2024 while at Movistar.

and completely underperforming since going to Bora.

it just goes to show you how ridiculous it is to talk about Armstrong and Pantani and Contador, etc. when their "natural quality" is completely unknown (at best!) and riders can be completely TRANSFORMED by doping.

that is why I find it so laughable when posters make comparisons with riders who are known to have doped -- like we actually know what their natural level is (hint: we don't).

and it is also a cautionary tale for the cult of fans who believe a top level cyclist can improve 10+% over one winter with "new training" techniques and a shorter crank.

ROTFLMFAO!!

 

[AlpRaid]

I think this shows one thing, doping is still happening...

I would add that more importantly it makes an absolutely huge difference.

a rider who competed at the front end is nowhere without dope.

a warning to cult-fans.

 

[Rob5091]

One point is that the UCI waited until he was at Bora/Germany as in Spain the ABP is not that easy to get convictions/violations. Could be one of many reasons why 2022 anomalies were "overlooked".

 

[pastronef]

certainly an interesting one.

Would you think "unexplained abnormalities in his Athlete Biological Passport in 2022, 2023 and 2024" means only those years were looked at, though, or is that already in comparison to potentially more normal looking numbers in 2025?

the testing/comparison of blood passport data is so utterly slow that I don't think they had time to compare the 3 months of 2025 too (his abnormalities were probably communicated to Bora and to him at the beginning of April)
also, the passport data comparison and analysis is so random, unsure, subtle and difficult that I think not even the testers across all laboratories have a common method. it takes 3 years because the difficulties is knowing and proving what's abnormal are something very hard. the blood passport analysis is probably the hardest method in anti-doping.

 

[pastronef]

The true clinic purist understands that this is just the UCI sending The Germans a warning now they have Remco on board, like they did with Hessmann/Visma.

well Visma won 2 GT this year and podiumed all 3

 

[pastronef]

One point is that the UCI waited until he was at Bora/Germany as in Spain the ABP is not that easy to get convictions/violations. Could be one of many reasons why 2022 anomalies were "overlooked".

I don't think, because of the slooooow process of passport analysis and comparison, the UCI-WADA checked the first 3 months of 2025 (he probably was informed of the abnormalities at the beginning of April). and probably, because of the legal and threshold thin line, the UCI needed the full 3 years comparison 2022-23-24 to stand of some kind of solid grounds to suspend him.
the fact he's with Bora is a just a detail. his ABP violations are with the Spanish Movistar

 

[Cookster15]

Agreed a lot of questions... I find it odd that they find abnormalities in his blood passports dating back to 2022. We are almost in 2026 now... Why did it take so long? What are the abnormalities?

Well I suppose 4 years to catch Lazkano beats the 8 years it took to nail the 2011 Vuelta winner. Progress?

Frankly I think it needs to be 48 hours.

 

[peterfin]

I don't think, because of the slooooow process of passport analysis and comparison, the UCI-WADA checked the first 3 months of 2025 (he probably was informed of the abnormalities at the beginning of April). and probably, because of the legal and threshold thin line, the UCI needed the full 3 years comparison 2022-23-24 to stand of some kind of solid grounds to suspend him.
the fact he's with Bora is a just a detail. his ABP violations are with the Spanish Movistar

If they need that much time, I wonder how many they follow at the moment but lack the ground to suspend them atm?

 

[SafeBet]

A number of Red Bull riders underperformed this year: Vlasov, Pithie, Dani Martinez, Van Gils, Tratnik...
Even Adria who ironically will move to Movistar next year.

 

[search]

Movistar has now sent out a statement, including a bit more information. For example, that samples from 2025 were not taken into account indeed ("samples provided by the Rider between 7 January 2020 to 30 December 2024").

Yesterday afternoon, October 30, 2025, the International Cycling Union sent a communication via e-mail to Abarca Sports in the following terms:

We extract the communication verbatim for a better understanding:

“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) hereby informs you that the UCI asserts that the Spanish rider, Mr. Oier Lazkano Lopez, has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for Use of a Prohibited Substance and/or Prohibited Method under Article 2.2 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules (UCI ADR). The assertion is grounded on the unanimous opinion rendered by a panel of three independent scientific experts (Expert Panel) on 23 October 2025 according to which the hematological profile composed of samples provided by the Rider between 7 January 2020 to 30 December 2024 establishes that:

“it is highly likely that a prohibited substance or prohibited method has been used and that it is unlikely that the passport is the result of any other cause.”

The Expert Panel reached their conclusion after the review of the Rider’s Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) as well as the explanation and supporting documentation provided by the Rider. Please note that this notice is sent to you as Mr. Lazkano Lopez was contracted to your Team at the time of the relevant offences identified in his ABP (i.e. 2022, 2023 and 2024)”.

The UCI continues in its communication:

“At this stage and until this notification, the UCI had to keep the matter confidential beyond the Anti-Doping Organizations as per the applicable regulations.

After review of the Rider’s explanation and supporting documentation, the Expert Panel rendered a unanimous opinion confirming its previous assessment.

The Rider was informed by letter of today that the ADRV is asserted pursuant to the UCI ADR.”

IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, Abarca Sports wishes to state the following:

- First of all, that it is not until yesterday afternoon, October 30, 2025, that he has become aware of this situation.

- Secondly, that during the 3 seasons of contractual relationship with Mr. Lazkano (of the 5 to which the UCI study refers) all the controls to which he was subjected by the different national and international organizations, as well as internal to the team itself, yielded a negative result. By virtue of this, 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.

- And thirdly and most importantly, Abarca Sports reiterates once again with absolute firmness its unwavering commitment to a clean and transparent sport. To this end, we will redouble with absolute determination all the efforts, controls and measures that we have been promoting to date.

In Pamplona, on 31 October 2025.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Movistar has now sent out a statement, including a bit more information. For example, that samples from 2025 were not taken into account indeed ("samples provided by the Rider between 7 January 2020 to 30 December 2024").

Yesterday afternoon, October 30, 2025, the International Cycling Union sent a communication via e-mail to Abarca Sports in the following terms:

We extract the communication verbatim for a better understanding:

“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) hereby informs you that the UCI asserts that the Spanish rider, Mr. Oier Lazkano Lopez, has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for Use of a Prohibited Substance and/or Prohibited Method under Article 2.2 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules (UCI ADR). The assertion is grounded on the unanimous opinion rendered by a panel of three independent scientific experts (Expert Panel) on 23 October 2025 according to which the hematological profile composed of samples provided by the Rider between 7 January 2020 to 30 December 2024 establishes that:

“it is highly likely that a prohibited substance or prohibited method has been used and that it is unlikely that the passport is the result of any other cause.”

The Expert Panel reached their conclusion after the review of the Rider’s Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) as well as the explanation and supporting documentation provided by the Rider. Please note that this notice is sent to you as Mr. Lazkano Lopez was contracted to your Team at the time of the relevant offences identified in his ABP (i.e. 2022, 2023 and 2024)”.

The UCI continues in its communication:

“At this stage and until this notification, the UCI had to keep the matter confidential beyond the Anti-Doping Organizations as per the applicable regulations.

After review of the Rider’s explanation and supporting documentation, the Expert Panel rendered a unanimous opinion confirming its previous assessment.

The Rider was informed by letter of today that the ADRV is asserted pursuant to the UCI ADR.”

IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, Abarca Sports wishes to state the following:

- First of all, that it is not until yesterday afternoon, October 30, 2025, that he has become aware of this situation.

- Secondly, that during the 3 seasons of contractual relationship with Mr. Lazkano (of the 5 to which the UCI study refers) all the controls to which he was subjected by the different national and international organizations, as well as internal to the team itself, yielded a negative result. By virtue of this, 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.

- And thirdly and most importantly, Abarca Sports reiterates once again with absolute firmness its unwavering commitment to a clean and transparent sport. To this end, we will redouble with absolute determination all the efforts, controls and measures that we have been promoting to date.

In Pamplona, on 31 October 2025.

From what I understand it's highly likely he gets a ban now, with the time it has taken to come out. As you can see in this statement, lakzano already had the chance to submit explanations and evidence, and this has already been rejected.

Could be the end of his career (Roson got a similar case at the same age for instance). Certainly looks unlikely that my ambitious prediction that he will have a better palmares than van aert will be a reality.

 

[pastronef]

From what I understand it's highly likely he gets a ban now, with the time it has taken to come out. As you can see in this statement, lakzano already had the chance to submit explanations and evidence, and this has already been rejected.

Could be the end of his career (Roson got a similar case at the same age for instance). Certainly looks unlikely that my ambitious prediction that he will have a better palmares than van aert will be a reality.

maybe the ban will start from April so 7 months already ducked from the suspension. Anicolor/Arabay will have a place for him when he gets back. maybe Li-Ning star too

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It would be funny if he tried to pull a Pecharromán on Denk by stopping to dope right after he had signed a big contract, but that it had backfired massively. I don't think it's too likely to be the case since he was already at a WT team, unless he feared there could be consequences if he kept it up.

I do hope the teams that sign Gee and Lafay will have done their homework beforehand, if there is any to be done.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Certainly looks unlikely that my ambitious prediction that he will have a better palmares than van aert will be a reality.

Van Aert has never been Spanish champion or top 10ed the Dauphiné. Of course Lazkano may soon not officially have done that either, but then they will still be equals at worst.

 

[Rob5091]

I don't think, because of the slooooow process of passport analysis and comparison, the UCI-WADA checked the first 3 months of 2025 (he probably was informed of the abnormalities at the beginning of April). and probably, because of the legal and threshold thin line, the UCI needed the full 3 years comparison 2022-23-24 to stand of some kind of solid grounds to suspend him.
the fact he's with Bora is a just a detail. his ABP violations are with the Spanish Movistar

Well, they popped Salas after only 6 blood samples (https://www.tntsports.co.uk/cycling...d-after-court-decision_sto7828908/story.shtml) and it was only WADA appealing to CAS that got him the ban plus there's lots of other weird and wonderful Spanish doping legends -
Mosquera Mayo Heras
If it's taken 3 years worth of data to suspend (this is going to run and run, I guess) then it must be marginal. Unless WADA have some new secret super-duper test.