Nairo Quintana has denied using tramadol and said he intends to compete in the Vuelta a España despite testing positive for tramadol at last month's Tour de France.

The UCI announced Wednesday that Quintana was disqualified from finishing sixth in the Tour after he tested positive for painkillers twice during the race. Tramadol is banned from competition starting in 2019, but a positive test for the substance is classified as a violation of UCI medical rules, not an anti-doping violation, so Quintana will not be suspended for the first offense.

"Today I learned with surprise that the UCI announced an infraction for the use of tramadol. I am completely unaware of any use of this drug and deny ever having used it in my career," Quintana said in a statement posted on his Twitter account. 'Together with my legal team, I am exhausting all procedures in my defense.'

." I also want to confirm that I will remain in the Vuelta, ride my bike, and do everything I can for my team, my country, and my supporters."

Quintana is currently in the Netherlands before the start of the Vuelta in Utrecht on Friday. Vuelta director Javier Guigen told EFE that he cannot prevent Quintana from participating in the race, adding that the decision rests with the athlete and his team, Arkea Samsic.

The news of Quintana's positive tramadol test came a day after Arkea Samsic announced that it had agreed to a contract extension with the Colombian, who will be with the team from 2020.

The UCI confirmed Wednesday that Quintana returned samples containing "tramadol and its two main metabolites" after stage 7 of the Tour de France, La Planche des Belle Filles, and stage 11, Col du Granon.

The 32-year-old was the first rider to be disqualified for using opioid painkillers during competition, and the UCI said it analyzed 120 dried blood samples during the Tour as part of its tramadol testing program.

Quintana has 10 days to appeal his disqualification from the Tour to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.