Tadej Pogačar was removed from the 2025 Strade Bianche after an incomplete doping test report surfaced. The disqualification came as a surprise to many, given Pogačar’s impeccable reputation in the cycling world. The 25-year-old Slovenian, who has won the Tour de France twice, had been expected to be one of the race’s top contenders. However, race officials stated that the decision was due to an issue with the documentation of one of his doping tests, rather than a positive result for banned substances.
Pogačar’s team, UAE Team Emirates, quickly responded, expressing confusion over the matter and emphasizing that Pogačar had complied with all anti-doping procedures. The team highlighted that there was no indication of wrongdoing on his part. Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, confirmed that the issue was a result of administrative errors rather than a failure in testing protocols.
While the removal did not involve any allegations of cheating, the incident sparked debate about the transparency and reliability of doping control procedures in professional cycling. Pogačar’s fans and the cycling community were left questioning the fairness of such a decision, with many hoping the matter would be quickly resolved to clear his name and allow him to continue competing.
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