Nairo Quintana has announced that he is leaving Arkea Samsic after three seasons, despite signing a contract extension with the French team in August.

The Colombian rider had signed a contract with the team through 2025, but announced in a social media video on Friday that he will ride for another team next season.

"As I announced on August 16, I want to announce that I will not continue with Arkea Samsic next season," Quintana said on Instagram. 'I will continue cycling and will soon comment on my future. I want to continue to show what kind of athlete I am and what I can do."

Quintana is currently in the midst of a dispute with the UCI over his disqualification from the Tour de France due to two positive tramadol tests. The 32-year-old finished sixth in the race, his best result since 2016 and the best in team history, but his results were stripped a day after his contract extension was announced in August.

He then missed the Vuelta a España to concentrate on his defense and filed a complaint with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Tramadors are banned by the UCI, but are legal in other sports that are members of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

"I submitted a defense to CAS. I am a man of integrity and honesty and I am confident that I can do so."

"I am a man of integrity and honesty and I am confident that I can do so.

"I have done nothing wrong or illegal and that is why I want to defend myself. I especially want to bring good news to my home country and thank you for all the support."

Quintana also thanked Arkea Samsic, saying that they have done what they did to provide the team with a World Tour race. They will be promoted to the top cycling league next season along with Alpecin Deceuninck, which is currently ranked among the top 18 teams in the world.

Quintana has been instrumental in helping the team achieve its goals, winning two races each at the Tour d'Haut Var and Tour de la Provence, winning the Vuelta Asturias, and winning a mountain stage at the 2020 Paris-Nice.

"I want to thank the team for these three seasons in which I have experienced many races. I have won some and lost some. I've been able to give all my experience to a great team."

"I was able to earn the points to lead my team to the World Tour.

He confirmed that he would not race for the remainder of the 2022 season due to health issues and would only race in the UCI Road World Championship road races after the Tour.

"Due to health issues, I will miss the last race of the year, thus ending my 2022 season," he concluded.

Arkea Samsic did not immediately respond to Quintana's statement. As a member of the Movement for Clean Cycling (MPCC), an organization that has long campaigned against the use of tramadol, the team would be in an awkward position if Quintana's sanction is confirmed by CAS.

On Saturday morning, the team released a statement acknowledging that Quintana would be out for the season.

"Nairo Quintana announced the end of his collaboration with the Arkea Samsic team, which began in 2020.

"The Alcare Samsic team has confirmed that Nairo Quintana's contract with the team will not be renewed in 2023. The Breton team will not comment further on this matter."

It is not yet clear where Quintana will move to for the 2023 season, as the transfer market has already been open for two months and most teams have finalized their plans and budgets for next year.

Arkea Samsic is also in a tough spot, with most of its big-name riders already signed elsewhere for 2023 and its star riders now departing.