Nairo Quintana may move to Astana Cazacustan instead of the French WorldTour team after leaving Arkea Samsic. The Colombian climber hopes the Court of Arbitration for Sport will clear him of any wrongdoing in an October 12 hearing regarding his positive Tramador at the Tour de France.

Over the weekend, L'Equipe suggested that a French WorldTour team was interested in signing Quintana for 2023, naming AG2R Citroën on Tuesday. However, the French team quickly denied signing the Colombian or contacting his agent.

Cycling News sees Astana Cazacustan as the most likely destination for Quintana, with a positive tramadol not an obstacle. Vincenzo Nibali will retire after Saturday's Il Lombardia, and Quintana could share the Grand Tour team leadership with fellow Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez.

Astana Kazakstan had a difficult 2022 season with only four wins. However, despite some delays in salary payments, the team appears to have secured a World Tour license for 2023-2025, and manager Alexander Vinokurov is working to rebuild the roster.

Quintana was retroactively disqualified from the Tour de France this summer after two blood samples from the race tested positive for tramadol. This painkiller is not classified as a performance enhancing drug, but is banned by the UCI. Athletes who test positive for blood samples during a race will be disqualified and banned for five months for a second violation; WADA recently announced that tramadol will be a banned drug beginning in 2024.

Quintana denies any wrongdoing.

According to Cycling News, the Swiss appeal to CAS will be heard on Wednesday, October 12, with a decision to follow shortly thereafter.

"As you know, I pleaded my case before the CAS. I am sincere and honest and I am confident," Quintana recently claimed.

Quintana joined Arkea Samsic from Movistar in 2020, helping the Brittany-based team earn enough points to qualify for the 2023-2025 World Tour. Quintana, a winner of the Vuelta a España and the Giro d'Italia, won 11 races for Arkea-Samsic and finished sixth overall in the 2022 Tour de France behind Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).

However, if CAS upholds his positive tramadol test and ban, he will lose the UCI ranking points associated with this result.

The 32-year-old Colombian has not raced in the Arkea-Samsic race since the positive tramadol case was discovered, but traveled to Australia to represent Colombia in the road world championships. He claimed that health problems prevented him from racing again this season.

Quintana and Arkea Samsic announced a three-year contract extension just days before he tested positive for tramadol, but it appears the deal was never signed and Arkea Samsic has admitted to the divorce.

The two appear to have reached an amicable separation.

"I am grateful to the team for the many races I have been able to compete in. We have had our ups and downs, but I have been able to dedicate all my experience and learning to a great team," Quintana said in his farewell message.

"I was able to earn the points to lead the team to the World Tour and fulfill the promise I made when I was hired.

"Keep pedaling and then we can talk about your future. I want to keep showing what kind of player I am, what I can do and what I can be."