Colombian cyclist Miguel Angel López was kidnapped and robbed at his home in Pesca, Boyacá, Colombia. The incident occurred on Thursday when three men held López captive for three hours. According to a report by national newspaper El Tiempo, the thieves made away with López’s Ford van, a mobile phone, and 800,000 Colombian pesos (approximately $203).
Colonel María Margarita Mantilla, commander of the Boyacá Police Department, confirmed the details of the robbery. López subsequently filed a complaint at the Sogamoso police station around 10:30 PM that night.
López, who had been racing for Medellín-EPM in Colombia after being released by Astana Qazaqstan, had returned to his home country for the 2023 season. He had achieved notable victories, including the Vuelta a San Juan, Colombian TT title, and multiple stages of the Vuelta a Colombia.
However, López’s racing career has been on hold since late July due to a provisional suspension imposed by the UCI for an alleged anti-doping rule violation. The violation was related to the “use and possession of a prohibited substance in the weeks prior to the Giro d’Italia 2022.”
Following news of López’s kidnapping and robbery, his current team expressed solidarity with him on Twitter. They called on Colombians to support López during this difficult time.
