45-year-old two-time UCI 2018 Gran Fondo World Champion and four time Spanish masters champion Raúl Portillo tested positive for EPO (erythropoietin) recently and has been suspended by the Basque Anti-Doping Agency (AVA) El Correo news reports.
His 2018 world championship time in the 22.5km time trial was 28:15 at an average speed of 46.7kph. Two days later he won the road race. Afterwards he told Spanish news service DEIA, “I knew I was in the best physical condition of my life.”
Riding for the Norinver Cycling Team, he also racked up wins in 2018 at Three Days of Mallorca, Volta a la Marina Alta-Parcent and Trofeo Ayunt.Pielagos-Carandia.
He has the right to appeal the anti-doping test results and suspension.
GRAN FONDO DAILY NEWS 