Astarloza tests positive

"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."