French anti-doping agency to retest 2008 Tour de France samples for CERA

September 25th, 2009 UCI launches anti-doping lessons for cyclistsLUGANO, Switzerland — All professional cyclists will have to complete a new anti-doping education program or lose their right to race. The International Cycling Union on Friday launched the "True Champion or Cheat?" project to complement extensive testing conducted on more than 1,000 registered racers across all disciplines.

September 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) has signed a contract with the International Doping Test and Management (IDTM), Stockholm, to carry out testing of 300 samples in a year. The IDTM is an independent agency that supplies sports organizations with global doping control services.

August 26th, 2009 Italian cyclist Di Luca faces doping hearingROME — Italian cyclist Danilo Di Luca denied he took a banned substance as he faced questions Wednesday from the Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping prosecutor. The 33-year-old former Giro d'Italia winner arrived at the Stadio Olimpico flanked by two lawyers, who said after the one-hour session that there would be another hearing in a month to give the defense more time to prepare.

July 26th, 2009 PARIS - The French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) will re-analyse a number of samples taken from more than a dozen riders during the 2008 Tour de France, the daily L'Equipe reported Sunday on its website. AFLD head Pierre Bordry sent a letter to the cyclists concerned just hours before this year's Tour de France began.

July 24th, 2009 Italian police search cyclist Di Luca's homeROME — Italian police have searched the home of 2007 Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Di Luca two days after he was provisionally banned from riding as part of an anti-doping probe. Officers from the Carabinieri paramilitary anti-doping unit said they were not authorized to give any details of Friday's search.

July 22nd, 2009 Di Luca suspended after positive doping testAIGLE, Switzerland — Cycling's governing body suspended former Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Di Luca on Wednesday after he tested positive for the banned blood-booster CERA. The International Cycling Union told the Italian rider he was provisionally banned until his national federation can have a disciplinary hearing.

July 21st, 2009 Manager accuses Kohl of giving doping to teammatesVIENNA — Bernhard Kohl's former manager has accused the banned Austrian cyclist of giving doping substances to other riders at the German Gerolsteiner team in 2007 and 2008. Stefan Matschiner says Kohl gave the banned blood booster EPO to several of his team members during the 2007 Tour de France and throughout last year.

July 17th, 2009 AIGLE, Switzerland — The International Cycling Union has suspended two Spanish riders Landaluze, Serrano who tested positive for the banned blood-boosting drug CERA. The UCI said Friday that Inigo Landaluze tested positive in two blood samples last month, one taken during the Dauphine Libere race in France and the other out of competition.

July 8th, 2009 AP source: Backup samples positive for 5 OlympiansLONDON — Backup "B'' sample tests came back positive for 1,500-meter gold medalist Rashid Ramzi and four other athletes accused of blood doping at the Beijing Games, an Olympic official with knowledge of the results told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The athletes tested positive for the blood-boosting drug CERA in retests of their Beijing "A'' samples earlier this year.

July 3rd, 2009 Armstrong under doping watch at Tour de FrancePARIS — France's sports minister says Lance Armstrong will be "particularly monitored" for doping during the Tour de France. The seven-time Tour winner has come out of retirement to ride in cycling's showcase.

July 3rd, 2009 Armstrong under doping watch at TourPARIS — France's sports minister says Lance Armstrong will be "particularly monitored" in anti-doping checks at the Tour de France this year. Roselyne Bachelot, speaking in an interview on French cable TV on Friday, sent the warning to the seven-time Tour winner who has come out of retirement to race again in cycling's showcase.

June 29th, 2009 Marked men: Anti-doping chiefs plan Tour targetsPARIS — When the Tour de France starts Saturday, some cyclists may as well wear targets on their backs. Pat McQuaid, the head of the International Cycling Union, says the race will be the most rigorously tested sports event in history.

June 29th, 2009 Cyclist Pfannberger's positive EPO test confirmedVIENNA — Cyclist Christian Pfannberger's positive doping test for EPO has been confirmed by a backup "B'' sample, the Austrian anti-doping agency NADA said Monday. Pfannberger, a two-time Austrian national champion, pulled out of the Giro d'Italia and was suspended by his Katusha team in May after he had tested positive for the banned drug in an out-of-competition check on March 19.

June 28th, 2009 Anti-doping chief vows Tour fairness for ArmstrongPARIS — When Lance Armstrong and France's anti-doping agency were at odds last spring over a surprise doping test, the seven-time Tour de France champion's return to the Tour appeared to fade. Since then, tensions have eased.

June 10th, 2009 Tour de France to conduct extensive doping testsPARIS — More than 500 doping tests, including targeted checks, will be conducted before and during the Tour de France, says the head of the cycling union. A group of 50 targeted riders, considered as race favorites or whose biological passport data have raised suspicion, will be under more scrutiny, International Cycling Union chief Pat McQuaid said Wednesday.