Retired Russian Giro d'Italia winner Denis Menchov has been handed a two-year ban dating back to 2013 after irregularities were found in the Russian's biological passport, the International Cycling Union, or UCI, said.
"The UCI confirms that it has imposed a two-year ban on Russian rider Denis Menchov as a result of anti-doping rule violations based on his Athlete Biological Passport," the UCI said in a statement overnight.
"The rider is declared ineligible until April 9, 2015 and is disqualified from the Tour de France 2009, 2010 and 2012, competitions during which abnormalities were clearly identified."
Menchov, who won the Giro in 2009 and the Vuelta, or Tour of Spain, twice, was second overall in the 2010 Tour de France.
The 36-year-old, who retired last year citing knee problems, retained his Giro and Vuelta titles but has been stripped of all his Tour results.
See also:
Sports Minister Worried Russian Doping Violations Could Get it Banned
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
