Junior Azerbaijani rider provisionally suspended over methamphetamine positive test at World Championships

An 18-year-old Azerbaijani rider has been provisionally suspended by the UCI after testing positive for methamphetamines.

Artyom Proskuryakov tested positive in two samples collected after "intelligence-led testing" at the UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, in September, it was revealed on Tuesday. He is allowed to ask his B samples be checked.

The test came after the men's junior road race. Proskuryakov did not finish that race, which was won by Britain's Harry Hudson after a 36.4km solo attack.

Proskuryakov finished 41st in the men's junior individual time trial in Kigali, and 49th in the men's junior time trial at the UEC Road European Championships, where he also failed to finish the road race.

Methamphetamines and its metabolites are prohibited substances under S6.A [Non-Specified Stimulants] of the 2025 Prohibited List, which is compiled by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The UCI press release reads: "The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that Azerbaijani rider Artyom Proskuryakov has been notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding for Methamfetamine (D-) and its metabolites* in two samples collected – as a result of intelligence-led-testing – during the 2025 UCI Road World Championships (Men Junior road race) on 23 September 2025.

"In accordance with the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the rider has been provisionally suspended. He has the right to request the analysis of the B samples.

"The UCI will not comment further while the proceedings are ongoing.

"The UCI delegated its anti-doping programme to the International Testing Agency (ITA) in January 2021, whilst retaining results management and the prosecution of anti-doping rules violations. Since then, cycling’s clean sport efforts have been led by the ITA Cycling Unit, which is dedicated specifically to all disciplines of cycling. The UCI and the ITA are bound by a service agreement which guarantees that the ITA operates in an independent manner."

Proskuryakov's positive is the latest anti-doping ruling from the UCI, following three others in the last month. Brazilian rider Vinícius Rangel Costa was given a 20-month suspension for three failures to report his whereabouts for anti-doping controls; Oier Lazkano was suspended by the UCI over "unexplained abnormalities" in his biological passport; and António Carvalho Ferreira was suspended over "unexplained abnormalities" in his biological passport too.