Siutsou won the Tour of Croatia in April riding for Bahrain-Merida, who had already chosen not to renew his contract when it expires on December 31.

The Belarusian cyclist previously rode for Team Sky between 2012 and 2015 and Dimension Data in 2017.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) released a statement in accordance with the suspension.

"The Union Cycliste Internationale announces that Belarusian rider Kanstantsin Siutsou was notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding of erythropoietin in a sample collected in the scope of an out-of-competition control on July 31, 2018," the governing body said.

"The control was planned and carried out by the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation, the independent body mandated by the UCI, in charge of defining and implementing the anti-doping strategy in cycling.

"The rider has the right to request and attend the analysis of the B-sample.

"In accordance with UCI anti-doping rules, the rider has been provisionally suspended until the adjudication of the affair."

Bahrain-Merida also released a statement following the 36-year-old's failure.

"It is with deep disappointment that we have been informed by the Union Cycliste International that our rider Kanstantsin Siutsou has been notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding in a sample collected in the scope of an out-of-competition control on July 31 2018," it said.

"In accordance with our zero-tolerance policy, the rider has been suspended immediately.

"Siutsou's contract expires on December 31, 2018 and Bahrain-Merida Pro Cycling Team had notified the rider during the month of June that his contract would not be renewed."