Portuguese cycling team banned for 20 days after two anti-doping rule violations

A Portuguese Continental cycling team, APHotels & Resorts-Tavira-SC Farense, has been suspended for 20 days after two of the team's riders returned asserted anti-doping rule violations within a 12-month period.

According to the UCI, the third-division team will be unable to race between 23 October to 11 November 2025, due to two "unexplained abnormalities" in the athlete biological passports of two riders, Venceslau Fernandes and Delio Fernández. Given the time of year, it is unlikely to restrict the team's activities too much.

Portuguese rider Venceslau Fernandes was told by the Portuguese Anti-Doping Agency (ADoP) of an asserted anti-doping rule violation on 7 November 2024, while Delio Fernández of Spain was notified by the UCI on 22 July. Both of these dated to 2023.

Fernandes hasn't raced as a pro since the end of last year, while Fernández retired from racing in April. The team's best results this year were through David Jesús Peña, who finished second at the Grande Prémio Internacional Beiras e Serra da Estrela, fourth at the Volta a Portugal, and third at the Volta ao Alentejo.

In a statement this week, cycling's governing body wrote: "The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that the UCI Disciplinary Commission has decided to suspend the Portuguese Team APHotels & Resorts-Tavira-SC Farense, for a period of 20 days, starting on 23 October 2025 and effective until 11 November 2025, in accordance with Article 11.3 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules (UCI ADR)," the UCI announced on Tuesday.

"The UCI ADR provides for the suspension of a team when two of its riders receive notice of an asserted anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) arising from an Adverse Passport Finding which occurred during the same 12-month period.

"In this context, the relevant dates to determine if the commission of the two violations occurred within the same twelve-month period shall be the period of time during which the riders used a Prohibited Method or a Prohibited Substance according to the Expert Panel’s evaluation of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).

"Since the results management procedures are still ongoing with the UCI and ADoP, the UCI will not comment further on this matter."

It is not the first time that Portuguese teams have been implicated in anti-doping violations. In 2022, seven Portuguese riders, including three former winners of the Volta a Portugal, have been banned for doping offences.

All seven raced for the Continental team W52-FC Porto, which saw its licence suspended by the UCI that summer.