Australia's Robert Stannard, 25, signed with the Bahrain Victorias team on Tuesday, returning to the World Tour “with immediate effect.”

The team announced that Stannard will make his debut at the Tour of Britain, September 3-8.

Stannard began his career with Mitchelton-Scott in 2018 and last competed in Alpecin-Desseuninck (2022-2023). He won the Tour de Wallonie in 2022, but his racing career came to a halt last August when the UCI issued a provisional suspension for “the use of prohibited methods and/or substances.”

According to the UCI, Stannard accepted a four-year time-limit suspension for “unexplained” abnormal ABP (Athlete Biological Passport) readings for 2018 and 2019, and the case was closed in June.

“It's great to be able to get back on the bike again and continue my cycling career,” Stannard said in a press release from Barlene Victorious. [I was faced with a difficult choice: accept the ruling and play the sport I love again, or fight to clear my name. I believe I made the wisest choice. In the long run, I hope to be able to do both, but for now I am grasping with both hands the opportunity to race again.”

“In a way, I feel like I have my life back. I can't wait to get back to racing and I am very grateful to Bahrain for giving me this opportunity."

Stannard continues to deny any wrongdoing, saying he never intentionally used banned substances.

“No athlete in violation of the ABP has ever tested positive in a blood or urine test,” Stannard said in a press release today.

“They claimed it could only have been caused by ‘illegal means,’ but throughout the entire process they provided no evidence of cheating. No evidence of doping was collected, nor was any needed for them to reach this determination.

“I hope that in the future the tribunal's ruling will be made public so that people can read the details and make up their own minds. But it has certainly changed my perspective on things, cycling, and life in general.”

Bahrain Victorious performance manager Vladimir Miholievich believes Stannard can grow with the team.

“We are happy to have Robert on board. Robert has had a difficult time and there has been a lot of confusion, but we support him and through the analysis of the medical team we could not conclude any wrongdoing,” said Miholievich.

“He was allowed to race in the professional peloton again.