Tour de France champion Chris Froome has claimed that his and Team Sky's reputation will be harmed by team-mate Jonathan Tiernan-Locke's doping violation.
Tiernan-Locke, 28, is suspended after discrepancies were discovered on his biological passport, and the UCI has announced that it will be opening discimplinary proceedings, although the Devon-born rider denies any wrongdoing.
The affected readings are believed to have been taken from Tiernan-Locke's biological passport in 2012, before he joined Team Sky from Endura.
Froome himself had to refute allegations of doping during his Tour victory in July, despite never having failed a test of any kind, and says that his own image and that of his team will be affected.
He said: "I really do think the best thing to do with the whole doping culture of the sport, to move past that image that we've had in the past, is to talk about it.
"Be completely open and say: 'Listen, this was is what happened in the sport back then but it's definitely not happening any more, and these are the reasons.'
"It needs to be talked about and we need to move on from that.
"But there is going to be a point when enough is enough, and we need to get on and start talking about the good things in the sport and the great racing that's getting missed now because we're harping on about what happened 10 years ago."
Froome and Tiernan-Locke rode only three races together as the latter endured a torrid opening season at WorldTour level.
His best finish came in the Volta ao Algarve, when he came 47th in the third stage.
His manager at Endura, Brian Smith, defended his former star, saying: "I'm 100% behind him. He's not a doper. Endura racing had a no-doping stance and as far as I'm concerned he was true to his word.
"Throughout the Tour of Britain he was urine-tested every day and a blood booster would have shown up, so it doesn't make sense."
Tiernan-Locke's manager Andrew McQuaid declined to comment, saying he was fully focused on his client's defence.