Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale terminate Franck Bonnamour's contract

Seven weeks after his initial suspension by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for an abnormal Biological Passport, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale have terminated the contract of French rider, Franck Bonnamour.

The 28-year-old has ridden for the team since the beginning of last season and did have a deal until the end of 2024, but the pair have now split ways as the investigation into Bonnamour's case continues.

Bonnamour is the first French rider to ever fail the Biological Passport, which was introduced to cycling as an anti-doping measure in January 2008. His now-former team released a short statement confirming the news on Tuesday.

"On February 5, 2024, the team was informed by the International Cycling Union of the investigation and provisional suspension of Franck Bonnamour due to a violation of anti-doping rules," they wrote. "This suspension follows checks carried out before his arrival in the team on January 1, 2023.

"The team was forced to terminate Franck Bonnamour's employment contract early. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team advocates the practice of cycling in line with strong ethical rules."

Read more: Franck Bonnamour provisionally suspended for abnormal Biological Passport

As the French WorldTeam have been keen to point out since his initial suspension, the anti-doping violation was discovered in tests undertaken before he joined the outfit in January 2023. Bonnamour previously rode for B&B Hotels-KTM in 2021 and 2022.

In his first season with the now-defunct team, Bonnamour won the award for being the most combative rider at the Tour de France, in which he was constantly on the attack and was one of the race's most memorable characters. Prior to 2021, he spent many seasons with Arkéa Samsic - now Arkéa-B&B Hotels, incidentally.

On Tuesday, Bonnamour released a statement of his own via his social media channels, with the Frenchman indicating that he had been informed of his dismissal on Monday.

"I am hereby free to communicate on my situation, following the decision of the International Cycliste Union dated February 5, to suspend me temporarily for alleged irregularities in my biological passport," he wrote.

"I have always done my job in compliance with the rules imposed by the International Cycling Union. I have always complied with, of course, the many anti-doping checks that this sport has asked me for for years. I have never resorted to banned products or any blood work.

"With the help of my lawyers and scientists, we are working on my defence. I have always been an honest, straight and clean racer and therefore can not be accused of cheating.

"Thank you for the many messages of support during this difficult time.
I will no longer communicate with regard to the ongoing procedure, which is confidential."

It is not yet known when further information on Bonnamour's case will be made public by the UCI. His dismissal leaves Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale with 29 riders for the rest of the 2024 campaign, which has started off in fine fettle for the French WorldTeam.

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