The International Cycling Union (UCI) suspended Amaro Antunes for four years for “using prohibited methods and/or prohibited substances”, losing to, among other things, the 2021 Volta a Portugal.
According to the list of cyclists suspended by the UCI updated on Tuesday, Amaro Antunes, whose suspension is valid until December 5, 2026, loses victory in the 2021 national cycling “queen” edition, but retains the triumph in the 2020 and 2017 editions, this is “inherited” after the suspension for the doping of the winner, the Spaniard Raul Alarcón, his partner in W52-FC Porto.
The 32-year-old from the Algarve still sees the results of the 2015 and 2016 Tours erased – he was 10th and 6th overall respectively – as well as the 2017 Tour of Algarve, in which he won the fifth stage. ended in Alto do Malhao (Lula) and finished fifth in the final classification.
Another race “erased” from Antunes history is the 2017 Tour of the Valencian Community, which ended in 20th place.
The two-time Volta champion in Portugal was the only one of 11 W52-FC Porto cyclists not to be the subject of controversy in Operation Prova Limpa – his colleagues blamed the public ministry. trade in prohibited substances and methods.
Despite signing a contract with ABTF-Feirense for the current season, Amaro Antunes, who has not competed since June, announced his retirement on 16 January following a scandal that forced the UCI to withdraw the license from W52-FC Porto ahead of the Tour of Portugal.
“I announce that after much deliberation I have decided to immediately leave professional cycling, which I started 11 years ago. […] caused me to lose all the motivation and taste for training needed to meet another season to the fullest,” he explained in a statement sent to Lusa’s agency.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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