The UCI has suspended Antwan Tolhoek for four years after the former Lidl-Trek and Jumbo-Visma rider tested positive for anabolic androgenic steroids in November 2023.
News of the South African's positive test was announced last February, after he had signed for the Portuguese Continental team Sabgal-Anicolor. He had previously raced for Jumbo-Visma from 2017 to 2021 before racing for Lidl-Trek in 2022 and 2023.
Former speed skater Tolhoek's positive sample was returned in an out-of-competition test on November 27, 2023. He was subsequently provisionally suspended by the UCI and fired by Sabgal-Anicolor.
On Wednesday, the UCI announced that the 31-year-old will serve a four-year ban, running from February 7, 2024, to February 6, 2028.
"The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that the UCI Anti-Doping Tribunal has rendered a decision against Dutch rider Antwan Tolhoek," the UCI announced.
"The Tribunal found the rider guilty of an anti-doping rule violation (presence of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids) and imposed a four-year period of ineligibility on the rider.
"In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the period of ineligibility started on 7 February 2024 and will remain in force until 6 February 2028."
The UCI stated that Tolhoek may appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within a month.
"In line with the Procedural Rules of the Tribunal, the decision will be published on the UCI website. This decision may be appealed before the CAS within one month.
"The UCI will not comment further on the matter."
Tolhoek turned pro with Roompot in 2016, having only taken up road racing two years earlier. He scored a single victory during his career, beating Egan Bernal to win stage 6 of the 2019 Tour de Suisse.
In 2017, he was suspended for two months by Jumbo-Visma after he and two teammates, Pascal Eenkhoorn and Juan José Lobato, were found to have taken sleeping medication outside the team's supervision while at training camp.
Cyclingnews has reached out to Tolhoek's former team, Lidl-Trek, for comment on the matter.
