FOIX, France, July 18, 2008 (AFP) – Italian racer Riccardo Ricco, kicked
off the Tour de France for doping, was Friday remanded in custody for “using a
poisonous substance,” the public prosecutor at Foix said.

Prosecutor Antoine Leroy said Ricco had been remanded for “using a
substance classed poisonous under the terms of the public health code.”

He added: “Ricco is placed under arrest and is banned from contacting other
members of the team.”

Spanish cycling team Saunier Duval earlier sacked Ricco following his
positive doping control for banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin).

Leroy said Ricco had told the examining magistrate what he had earlier told
police – namely, that he is innocent.

“The racer strongly denies having used EPO and can offer no explanation as
to why EPO was found in his urine sample on July 8. He denies taking this
substance or any other substance banned in France and as such denies the
accusations leveled against him.”

The 24-year-old Ricco became one of the major attractions of this year’s
race when he stunned a host of big names to win two stages, one in the hilly
Massif Central and the other, three days later, in the Pyrenees.

However, Ricco’s Tour finished under a police escort on Thursday ahead of
stage 12 following his positive test for EPO after the fourth stage time trial
at Cholet on July 8.

Saunier-Duval thereupon pulled out of the event amid suspicions of
organized doping which the team denies.

On Friday the team announced it had also sacked Ricco’s compatriot Leonardo
Piepoli.

Team mamager Mauro Gianetti insisted Friday he was “totally unaware of any
doping practices going on in the team”.