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Spain's Iban Mayo Is Latest to Fail Drug Test at Tour de France
By Mason Levinson
July 31 (Bloomberg) -- Iban Mayo of Spain tested positive during a drug test
at the Tour de France, cycling's three-week marquee event that was again
marred by doping scandals this year.
Mayo was suspended without pay by his Saunier Duval-Prodir Cycling Team
after it was notified yesterday by the International Cycling Union that he
failed a test for the banned blood-boosting hormone erythropoietin, known as
EPO, during a July 24 rest day, according to the team's Web site.
The team also said it would fire Mayo if a second sample tests positive for
the drug.
Mayo was not immediately reachable for comment about the suspension.
The 29-year-old mountain specialist finished 16th in the Tour, which was won
two days ago by Spaniard Alberto Contador.
Mayo joined riders, including pre-race favorite Alexander Vinokourov, in
doping scandals stemming from the race.
Vinokourov, 33, won a time-trial stage and then tested positive for infusing
someone else's blood. The Kazakh rider was fired yesterday by the Astana
team, which quit the race July 24 following confirmation of its team
leader's positive initial sample. Astana said on its Web site that the
second part of the sample also was ``non-negative.'' The entire Astana team
was removed from the race.
On July 26, race leader Michael Rasmussen, 33, was dropped by his Rabobank
team, which accused him of lying about his whereabouts to avoid mandatory
doping controls.
Both Vinokourov and Rasmussen deny wrongdoing.
More Cases
Cristian Moreni, 34, was arrested while still dressed in the red cycling
uniform of his Cofidis team after a Pyrenees stage last week. The team was
removed from the race and he confessed to using drugs to lift his level of
testosterone, which boosts muscle fibers, team manager Eric Boyer said.
Doping is a crime in France.
Last year's Tour winner, Floyd Landis, is awaiting an arbitration panel's
ruling on whether to overturn his doping conviction after he failed a drug
test taken following his 17th stage victory.
He skipped this year's race as part of an agreement to delay a disciplinary
hearing by France's anti-doping agency, known as the AFLD.
Tour de France organizers said they plan to examine next year's entrants
themselves because the sport's governing body isn't doing enough to dissuade
cheats.