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Find out more about James: James, a journalist since 1976, is co-author of Tour de France For Dummies. He owns several websites, contributes to many print and online publications and is also the Monterey Peninsula Examiner. A long-distance runner for nearly 30 years, Raia also rides his bike -- to nearby coffeehouses. E-mail: james@byjamesraia.com. |
Make it six riders who have now returned positive drug tests from the 2008 Tour de France.
The latest two riders’ positive test results were announced Monday.
German Stefan Schumacher, who surprisingly won both Tour de France individual time trials, has tested positive for a new generation of the Erythropoietin (EP0) called CERA (Continuous Erythropoisis Receptor Activator), according to the web site of French daily sports newspaper, L'Equipe, and as reported by Agency France Press (AFP).
The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) also announced Leonardo Piepoli, who won the race's 10th stage to Hautacam in the Pyrenees, tested for positive for CERA.Piepoli, climbing specialist, was a key helper of former Saunier Duval teammate Riccardo Riccò, also a double Tour de France stage winner this year. Last week, Ricco was banned for 20 months after testing positive for CERA at the Tour.
Schumacher's urine samples from the Tour, according to the French newspaper, were suspect although it took a recently developed blood test for CERA to prove his guilt.
One test was carried out at a laboratory in Lausanne, the other at the laboratory used by France's national anti-doping agency.
During the Tour de France, Spaniards Manuel Beltran and Moses Duenas tested positive for EPO and Dmitri Fofonov of Kazakhstan tested positive for a banned stimulant.
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