Despite being disqualified from the Tour de France and parting company with the Arkea Samsic team after testing positive for tramadol, Nairo Quintana is confident he will continue racing at the highest level in 2023.

Back home for this weekend's Gran Fondo event, the Colombian spoke to Colombian media about his future, suggesting that he has "options" to compete in World Tour races next season.

Quintana had an appeal dismissed earlier this month in a court case regarding Tramador.

His decision to part ways with the French team Arkea Samsic, which he joined in 2020 and helped to get into the World Tour in 2023, was announced a month ago.

Since losing his appeal, Quintana's future appeared uncertain, but he himself appeared nonplussed over the weekend.

"I'm going to be on the World Tour. I'm going to keep racing hard and moving forward. It's about winning races and staying motivated to represent my country."

That doesn't necessarily mean racing for one of the 18 WorldTour teams, but rather the possibility of racing a Grand Tour with a second-division team like Arkea-Samsic.

"That's what I'm thinking. I intend to fight in the big races next year."

"Next year for sure you will see Nairo Quintana on the screen fighting in your favorite races.

Quintana's statement, however, seemed confused.

On the one hand, he seemed to suggest that he had already signed a contract with a team for next year. But then he also spoke of various "options."

"It's politics on their part," he said of what he believed to be an announcement from the new team. As for me, I would say that now, but it is political."

However, when asked if there would be a shock return to Movistar, where he spent eight seasons from 2012 to 2020, he said his future was undecided.

According to "EFE," "That might be an option.

"Actually, we have had a good relationship with them. We have had great success for eight years. But we continue to look at options," Quintana said.

"That's what's important, to have options to continue and the willingness to continue."

However, Movistar has already announced its 2023 team, and given that the UCI limit of 30 riders has already been signed, that option is not available. In addition, they have just signed Ivan Ledanois, the former Arquea coach who publicly criticized Quintana and caused an uproar in the Colombian media.

Quintana insists that he did not take tramadol, but he failed to convince the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld his disqualification from the Tour de France. This opioid painkiller has not yet been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, so it is not considered an anti-doping violation under UCI rules, but it is prohibited under medical regulations.

"A lot of people look at me in a bad light, but I have always tried to prove my innocence," Quintana said.

"The results were not what I expected, but I defended myself. So I want to keep fighting."