Former Katusha rider Antonio Colom was sanctioned for two years by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) following a positive test for EPO last April. Late last year the Spaniard asked the RFEC to lift his provisional suspension that was put into place last June, but his efforts were unsuccessful. He was also fined 46,958 euro fine.
Colom has maintained his innocence in the matter, and has claimed that the International Cycling Union (UCI) investigation against him was rife with errors. He submitted a fifty page report written with is lawyer to argue his case.
The Spaniard had started off with a strong 2009 season prior to his suspension, winning his home race, the Mallorca Challenge, stage three of the Volta ao Algarve, stage eight of Paris-Nice, and he also finished second overall to Alberto Contador in the Vuelta al País Vasco.
The UCI said that the doping control was targeted based on the rider's racing schedule and biological passport, which demonstrates the growing effectiveness of the governing body's new anti-doping program. Earlier today Francesco De Bonis was also sanctioned based on information from the Biological Passport system.