The Uci has provisionally suspended Polish U3 time trial champion Kacper Gieryk after taking a positive test for EPO at the 2024 World Championships in Zurich, 23 days after the World Championships in Zurich.

Gieryk (21) was on the updated list of "License holders provisionally suspended in accordance with Uci Anti-Doping Rules" announced on Wednesday 11/27. 

His potential violation was closely related to epo (erythropoietin) and was listed on WADA's banned list for dEPO or darbepoetin under the same umbrella. Both stimulate the production of red blood cells, but the former is a redesigned form of the latter and is more effective because it stays in the body longer.

Cycling of Dalbepoetin had previously been suspended, including the notable case of Remi di Gregorio, who was suspended after taking a positive test in Paris-Nice in 2018.

Gieryk's violation date was 9/24, just days after finishing 40th in the u23 Time trial in the world, 1 day before the 2024 U23 Road Race in DNF, 3 days before the end of the season.

He was one of Poland's top talent, winning in 2023 at U23Chrono des Nations and winning 23 national time trial titles in a row at u3 level 1. Girik also had recently extended his time with the home Continental team Lubelskie Perča Polski before his suspension.

"We want to inform you that our club's rider, Kacper Gieryk, has been suspended by the International Cycling Union (UCI) due to the discovery of an illegal doping substance in his body," read a statement from the team on social media.

"I would like to note that this incident concerns the performance while representing our country at the 2024-9 World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland.

"Our club firmly emphasizes that it will not tolerate activities that violate fair play rules or sports ethics. As a club, we give priority to the image and reputation of the team, so we are waiting for a full explanation. Until a final decision is made, we are fully ready to work with the appropriate bodies to resolve this situation.

Alongside Gieryk in the list, there were already known cases of riders such as Frank Bonnamour, Antwan Tolhoek and Ilkhan Dostiyev.

The UCI also stresses that "decisions on this table are not necessarily final and in certain cases may have the right of appeal of the licence holder and/or other parties," but the appeal process is so expensive that in Bonnamour's case, riders are forced to terminate their careers.