Eladio Jimenez after winning stage 6 (Image credit: Volta a Portugal)
The International Cycling Union (UCI) announced on Monday that it had provisionally suspended Eladio Jimenez Sanchez on December 4 for a doping violation. The 33-year-old Spaniard is a member of the Portuguese Continental Centro Cilismo De Loule - Louletano team.
The decision concerning the Spanish rider was made in response to a report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Madrid "indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of recombinant EPO in a urine sample collected from him during the Volta a Portugal on August 12, 2009". On that day, he won that race's stage 6 from Barcelos to Santo Tirso, and he went on to finish sixth overall.
The provisional suspension is effective until Jimenez Sanchez attends a hearing panel convened by the Spanish Cycling Federation to determine whether he has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules.
The rider may also request and attend the analysis of his B sample.
The UCI said it is unable to provide additional information at this time per "the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI Anti-Doping Rules".
Jimenez Sanchez previously raced for Fercase - Rota dos Móveis in 2008; Karpin Galicia in 2006; Comunidad Valenciana from 2004 to 2006; and Banesto or iBanesto.com from 1998 to 2003.
Jimenez Sanchez was to race with Rock Racing for the 2010 season, according to biciciclismo.com.
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The Spaniard's career palmares are highlighted by three Vuelta a Espana stage wins in 2000, 2004, and 2005.
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