Aebolo Cycling expressed "shock" and "sadness" after learning that its own Luis Villalobos tested positive for the growth hormone GHRP-6 while under contract with the team last year.

The UCI announced Monday that Villalobos returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for growth hormone GHRP-6 from a sample taken by the Mexican National Anti-Doping Agency during out-of-competition controls on April 25, 2019.

"I am blindsided and heartbroken," said Michael Creed, Aevolo's team director, in a press statement. I want to know how this could have happened and I hope Lewis can help us by being open and honest."

The 21-year-old Villalobos is currently under contract with EF Pro Cycling and signed a three-year deal with the American WorldTour team for 2018. This unique contract keeps him with his Continental team until August 2019, when he will begin racing for EF Pro Cycling.

Villalobos raced for Continental team Aevolo Cycling starting in 2017. During that time, he won the Mexican national championship time trial twice (2018 and 2019). He also finished fourth in a stage and eighth overall at the Tour of Utah, where he also won the best young rider award. He was third at the Winston-Salem Cycling Classic.

While with EF Pro Cycling, he will compete in the Tour of Poland, Tour of Britain, Euro Eyes Cyclassics Hamburg, and Bretagne Classic at the end of 2019. In February of this year, he competed in the Tour de la Provence and the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var.

According to a letter received by EF Pro Cycling from the UCI on Monday, Villalobos' sample was taken out of competition on April 25, 2019 in Lago de Moreno, Mexico, and the presence of GHRP-6 was noted in the athlete's A sample.GHRP-6 is a growth hormone releasing peptide and

EF Pro Cycling announced that Villalobos had been suspended indefinitely from the team.

Villalobos has the right to demand that the B sample be opened and analyzed.

Aevolo Cycling said in a press statement that the team, a UCI Continental U23 development team, is fully committed to clean cycling and has a zero tolerance policy. The team also said it was unaware that the World Anti-Doping Agency was conducting the analysis until Monday.

"Since hearing the news this morning, we are a bit stunned," co-director Jono Coulter said in a team press statement. He added, "This team prides itself on developing athletes as cyclists and as fine young men and women.