Russian rider out until 2017 Months after it was confirmed that he had failed not one but two doping tests for EPO, the Russian rider Alexander Serebryakov has been given a four year ban from the sport.



On April 8th the UCI stated that the 2012 TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship winner had tested positive for EPO in an out of competition test carried out on March 18th. His Euskaltel Euskadi team had revealed the news two days earlier, but omitted to name the substance concerned.



The rider moved to exonerate the team, telling Biciciclismo that it was “a personal problem” and that he would try to clarify in the following days.



The UCI subsequently had a previous sample given on February 21st reanalysed by the WADA-accredited Cologne laboratory, and on June 6th the governing body announced that that sample was also positive for EPO.



The two positive tests were considered by the Russian federation in ruling on his case and, according to Biciciclismo, the rider was given the four year ban.



It is set to run from April 5th 2013, meaning that it will be the same month in 2017 before he is eligible to return.



Serebryakov turned pro with Team Type 1 in 2012 and was the winner of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship, as well as ten other races. He clocked up stage wins in the Tours of Korea, China and Hainan plus the Tour of Taihu Lake, and the points gained earned him a contract with the Euskaltel Euskadi team.



Moving to the Basque team, he took a number of solid results early on, with his 28th in the Handzame Classic being followed by 22nd in Scheldeprijs and 14th in the GP Pino Cerami. However he also withdrew from the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen - Harelbeke, Ghent -Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders.



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