Mayo Tests Positive, Saunier Duval Suspends Him

By Jessica | Permalink | 3 comments | July 30th, 2007 | Trackback

Thanks to the husband, I bring you news that Iban Mayo tested positive for EPO and his team, Saunier Duval, has suspended him. It’s on TuttoBici (in Italian) and also on CyclingNews:

Iban Mayo tested positive for EPO on the Tour de France’s rest day, July 24, it was announced Monday night. His team Saunier Duval was informed of the positive test by the UCI and immediately suspended the Spanish rider.

The 29 year-old finished 16th in the Tour de France, which finished Sunday. He was 27′09″ behind winner and compatriot Alberto Contadour (Discovery Channel). The Basque rider was the Italian team’s leader.

“In line with the fight against doping that the team fully support, the rider is immediately suspended until the B sample has been tested,” Saunier Duval said on their Web site www.saunierduvalteam.com. “If that is confirmed as positive as well, we will proceed to rescind his contract.”

Team manager Josean Fernandez Matxin confirmed the UCI’s notification of the positive test on the Tour’s second rest day, calling the news a “disagreeable surprise.” He told the Europa Press agency that the team is eager to demonstrate that it is clean.

“At no time had he been a suspicious rider, on the contrary,” he concluded. “Mayo passed all the UCI controls, all the internal controls, and he had never been suspicious. This has been bad news.”

A disagreeable surprise to say the least. If his teammate David Millar had harsh words for dopers on other teams, I can’t imagine what he’ll have to say now.

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