Colombian Nairo Quintana on Wednesday denied taking a banned pain medication after he was retrospectively disqualified from this year’s Tour de France over a positive tramadol test result.

Former two-time runner-up Quintana, 32, finished sixth overall in the race that ended on July 24.

The pain medication has been on a list of International Cycling Union (UCI) prohibited substances since 2019.

“I know nothing about the use of this substance and deny ever having used it in my career,” Quintana, who is due to take part in the Vuelta a Espana beginning on Friday in the Netherlands, said in a statement published to Twitter.

“With my team of lawyers we are exhausting all avenues to mount my defence.”

Tramadol is only banned in competition and while Quintana has been disqualified from the Tour after testing positive for the substance on both July 8 and 13, he will not be banned from future races.

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