 In August 2014, UK Anti-Doping upheld the ban, accepting Tiernan-Locke's claim that he had indulged in binge drinking two days before the positive test but rejecting his contention that he had not rehydrated by the time of the test, given that he was tested on the eve of the 2012 World Championship road race, where he finished 19th.Tiernan-Locke subsequently expressed an interest in returning to professional cycling after the end of his ban.In January 2016, following the end of his ban, Tiernan-Locke indicated that he would return to racing as an independent, rather than with a team.