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Tour de France 2009...

NotTheRealSteveWest
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NotTheRealSteveWest

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Tour de France - Astarloza tests positive for EPO

 

Spaniard Mikel Astarloza, 11th in the Tour de France, has been provisionally suspended following a positive out-of-competition test for the banned blood booster EPO.

 

"Earlier today, the UCI advised Spanish rider Mikel Astarloza that he has been provisionally suspended," the International Cycling Union said in a statement.

 

"The decision to provisionally suspend Mr Astarloza was made in response to a report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Madrid indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of Recombinant EPO in a urine sample collected from him at an out-of-competition test on 26 June 2009."

 

If the B sample is also positive, Astarloza, who rides for the Euskaltel Euskadi team, will face a two-year suspension. Astarloza, 29, won the 16th stage of this year's Tour, a mountainous trek from Martigny, Switzerland, to Bourg St Maurice.

 

His best achievements have included victory in the Tour Down Under in 2003 and ninth place overall in last year's Tour de France.

 

"The provisional suspension remains in force until a hearing panel convened by the Spanish Cycling Federation determines whether Mr Astarloza has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules," the UCI statement further read.

 

"The hearing panel will make a decision on an applicable sanction for Mr Astarloza including his disqualification from any events, in which he competed following the collection of the sample on 26 June."

 

Euskaltel Euskadi's chief sports director Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano confirmed they would ask for Astarloza's B sample to be tested.

 

"The team's internal testing system does not show any anomalies, and he says he's totally innocent, so until the contrary can be proven, he has our full support," Gonzalez de Galdeano told Reuters in Spain.

 

He added that the Euskaltel Euskadi team had no intention of withdrawing from Saturday's Clasica San Sebastian race.

 

"This is a big blow, but we'll be racing tomorrow as usual."

 

Reuters

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Astarloza: I've taken nothing illegal

 

Spaniard Mikel Astarloza, who came 11th in the Tour de France, has denied taking any illegal substances after testing positive for the banned blood booster EPO.

 

The International Cycling Union provisionally suspended the Euskaltel Euskadi rider on Friday following a positive out-of-competition test on a urine sample taken on June 26.

 

"I haven't taken anything illegal," Astarloza said.

 

"I will do whatever it takes to find out where this supposed positive result came from."

 

Astarloza, 29, cast doubts on the test that was carried out in a WADA accredited laboratory in Madrid, saying: "There are reasons to doubt its credibility."

 

He refused to give details, but said that he had lost faith in the system, whatever the B sample test revealed, and added that doping in this day and age was "Madness. Sporting suicide."

 

The rider and his team have requested the B sample test. If that is also positive, Astarloza will face a two-year suspension.

 

Astarloza won the 16th stage of this year's Tour. His best achievements have included victory in the Tour Down Under in 2003 and ninth place overall in last year's Tour de France.

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Vinokourov begins 'great comeback'

 

Alexander Vinokourov returned to cycling after a two-year doping suspension and looked relieved and relaxed in a low-key race in France.

 

"This is my great comeback", Kazakh Vinokourov, whose ban ended last month, said before starting a 45km race in southwestern Castillon-la-Bataille.

 

"It's a unique feeling," he added. "It's great to have a bib on again. It's like being back in the family.

 

"My fitness is okay. I need a bit of time to recapture my pace but it'll come back fast."

 

Vinokourov was banned for two years after testing positive for blood doping in the 2007 Tour de France. The 35-year-old has denied any wrongdoing.

 

On Tuesday he wore a sponsor-free shirt bearing the inscription "Vino for ever".

 

He said, however, that he should be reunited with the Kazakh-funded Astana team for his next race, the August 9-12 Tour de l'Ain, also in France.

 

"Normally I'll be riding in the Tour de l'Ain for Astana," he said.

 

Vinokourov's positive test came after he won a time trial during the 2007 Tour de France. He was kicked out of the race and his Astana team were asked by organisers to leave the event.

 

Astana were not invited by organisers on the 2008 Tour but returned to the race with great success this year, placing first and third through Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong respectively.

 

American Armstrong has said he will quit Astana to form a US-based team in 2010 in partnership with RadioShack Corporation.

 

Spaniard Contador has turned down an offer to extend his contract with Astana and wants to leave the team, his brother and agent Fran was quoted as saying last week.

 

Vinokourov said, however, that he hoped Contador, who has a year left on his contract, would stay with the team.

 

"The goal is to build a team around Alberto," Vinokourov said. "I'd work for him but the decision belongs to him."

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