Daniel Visochan, a member of the Pierre Baguette Continental team, has tested positive for CERA, the Slovak team announced.

The 20-year-old Czech rider tested positive in an out-of-competition test on September 25, two days before his participation in the U23 road race at the Road World Championships in Zurich.

Visochan competed in the Tour of Hungary and Tour of Slovakia with Peter Sagan, who had been with the team for several months before his retirement. This was Visochan's second season with the team.

In the months before his positive test, he finished 16th in the Tour de Lavenir, 6th in the Tour of South Bohemia, and represented the Czech Republic in the European Championships.

Visochan is listed as a provisionally suspended rider by the UCI after testing positive for CERA.

CERA is a form of EPO, and top-level riders such as Danilo Di Luca, Bernhard Koll, Leonardo Piepoli, Stefan Schumacher, Riccardo Ricco, and Davide Rebellin first came to attention in late 2008 when they tested positive for this drug.

In recent years, South American athletes (Luis Alberto Largo, Wilson Ramiro Rincon, Juan Pablo Dotti) and Astana Development rider Ilhan Dostiev have tested positive.

Pierre Baguette issued a statement confirming that Visochan was immediately suspended until his B sample was analyzed, noting that if his B sample also tested positive, his contract would be terminated immediately.

“On November 4, 2024, the Pierre Baguette Cycling Team confirmed that Czech rider Daniel Visochan had tested positive for the banned substance methoxypolyethylene glycol - from the A sample collected during out-of-competition testing in Zurich on September 25, 2024. epoetin beta (CERA), a prohibited substance, was detected in Sample A collected during an out-of-competition test in Zurich on September 25, 2024, and the UCI notified him of a possible anti-doping rule violation,” Pierre Baguette wrote in a statement.

“Daniel Visochan last participated in the Pierre Baguette Cycling Team race calendar on September 5-8, 2024, in September 2024. His participation in the 2024 UCI World Championships in Zurich was managed completely independently, without any support, involvement or association from the team. The Pierre Baguette Cycling Team has stated that it has no involvement in Daniel Visochan's participation in the 2024 UCI World Championships.

“The Pierre Baguette Cycling Team has implemented an absolute zero tolerance policy regarding doping. We are committed to protecting the integrity of cycling, a sport we deeply respect, by refusing to engage in any illegal activity, involvement in prohibited substances, or any activity that undermines our core values. All team members are held to the highest standards of integrity and accountability, and any deviation from these standards will not be tolerated.

“Effective immediately, Daniel Visochan was suspended until the analysis of the B sample is completed.