Mansilla cleared of EPO doping charges negative B sample

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Luis Mansilla has been cleared of doping charges after his B-sample came back negative, the head of the Chilean cycling federation has said. Mansilla can now resume his preparations for the London Olympics, where he is expected to feature on both the track and road teams.

Mansilla had tested positive for EPO after stage 5 of the 2012 Tour of Chile in January, which he lead for eight stages and in which he won two stages. 

"The legal department of the International Cycling Union (UCI) sent us this morning the lab report which details that Luis Mansilla's B sample was negative.This means that no banned substances," Miguel Carrillo told the Chilean news website emol.com.

He added that the report “did not explain the reassign” for the first positive result.

"With the news, it is confirmed that Mansilla is released and can continue to compete without major problems."

Mansilla, also speaking with emol.com, said that the positive doping control left him very  angry. “There was much damage, my family suffered a lot because they did not know what to do. I could not believe it, and every time I remembered, I was angry.”

With the news of the negative B sample, he is ready to put it all behind him. “Now I only have to prepare for the Olympics,” he said.  He wants “to give satisfaction to my country. On the bike I've always tried to do my best and I've given everything. Obviously I want to do well and show that at this moment I am one of the best cyclists in the country.”