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, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said on Friday.
“Earlier today, the UCI advised Spanish rider Mikel Astarloza that he has been provisionally suspended,” the UCI 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, would face a two-year suspension.
PHOTO: EPA
Astarloza, 29, won the 16th stage of this year’s Tour, a mountainous trek from Martigny, Switzerland, to Bourg St Maurice, France.
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 said. “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 the B sample to be tested.
“The team’s internal testing system does not show any anomalies ... so until the contrary can be proven, he has our full support,” Gonzalez de Galdeano said.
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