RedBull distances itself from Lazkano and points to his previous team

The provisional suspension of Oier Lazkano due to anomalies in his biological passport continues to create ripples in the peloton. Following the UCI's decision to temporarily remove him from competition, Red Bull–BORA has issued a statement confirming the immediate termination of the contract of the cyclist from Vitoria, distancing itself from the case and pointing to Movistar Team.

The German team breaks its contract with the Spanish champion following the UCI's provisional suspension, which affects his time at Movistar Team

“We confirm that Oier Lazkano will no longer be part of our team. This is due to the UCI's decision to provisionally suspend him. The matter pertains to the 2022-2024 seasons, a period prior to his joining our team,” states the statement from the German team.

The team, which had signed Lazkano at the beginning of 2025 with a contract worth 1.5 million euros per year, did not need to acknowledge that the rider had already been internally suspended for months, when the first details of the investigation opened by the UCI became known. The official break comes now, after the international body made the provisional suspension public.

The Red Bull–BORA statement makes it clear that the investigation focuses on the period between 2022 and 2024, the years in which Lazkano was with Movistar Team. By implication, the Spanish team, which had ended its relationship with the cyclist after the 2024 season, announced yesterday that it was “surprised” by the news and stated it could not provide further information “at this time.”

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However, the timing coinciding with other recent episodes adds pressure to the environment of the telephone team. Just a few days earlier, Movistar Team announced a deep restructuring of its Sports Area, with Sebastián Unzué taking on the new role of Head of Sports. But in that same context, the suspension of Brazilian Vinicius Rangel, a former cyclist for the team between 2022 and 2024, was also revealed for missing three anti-doping tests in the last twelve months.

The UCI regulations state that when two or more cyclists from the same team test positive or present irregularities within a specified period, the team may face collective sanctions, ranging from financial fines to temporary suspension of its license.

For now, the UCI has not confirmed whether the cases of Lazkano and Rangel could be linked under that rule, but the fact that both incidents are associated with the same competitive period keeps Movistar Team on alert, as it undergoes a phase of internal transformation and seeks stability.