Mosquera's doping ban overturned

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Former Spanish rider Ezequiel Mosquera has had his two-year doping ban overturned by the Spanish authorities, according to reports in the Spanish media.

Mosquera was handed a two-year ban in 2011 after testing positive for hydroxyethyl during the 2010 Vuelta a España, where he finished as runner-up to Vincenzo Nibali. He also won a stage to Bola del Mundo in the race and signed a deal with Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team for 2011 on the back of his results. However he was fired by the Dutch team once his ban was made public.

"I'm tired, tired and fed up with a process that, with the law in hand, should never have happened,” Mosquera is reported to have said in June when the case was ongoing.

According to AS the news of Mosquera’s overturned ban was announced on Galician television with the Spanish High Court deciding to overrule the decision originally made by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC).

Mosquera has always denied doping but was unable to supply the federation or anti-doping authorities with an explanation as to how the hydroxyethyl - a masking agent – entered his body.

Now 39 years of age, it is unlikely that Mosquera will return to racing, and in an interview with EFE, he said that “age does not forgive and it’s worse with two years without competing. It is impossible physically and psychologically, even more. If you are a person with half a brain you see it's impossible.”