PARIS, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) – German cyclist Stefan Schumacher, a double stage winner at this year’s Tour de France, has tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin), according to L’Equipe website on Monday.
Gerolsteiner rider Schumacher is the second rider named Monday to be caught using a new generation of EPO called CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor
Activator) at this year’s race.
Earlier Monday the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) announced that Leonardo Piepoli, who won the race’s 10th stage to Hautacam in the Pyrenees, tested for CERA.
Piepoli, a specialist climber, was a key helper of former Saunier Duval teammate Riccardo Ricco, who last week was banned for 20 months after testing positive for CERA at the Tour, where he won two stages.
Schumacher caused a minor sensation at this year’s race when he won both time trials, both times leaving Switzerland’s two-time world champion Fabian Cancellara in his wake.
According to L’Equipe, Schumacher’s urine samples from the Tour were suspect although it took a recently-pioneered 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.
The German recently left the Gerolsteiner team to sign with Belgian outfit Quick Step.
Three riders from this year’s Tour de France have now tested positive for CERA; Ricco, Piepoli and Schumacher.
Photo by: CorVos Pro
One Response to “Stefan Schumacher Also Tests Positive For EPO According To L’Equipe”
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During the Tour this year, Lance Armstrong commented about Schumacher’s extraordinary performances on both hills and TTs, saying “who is this guy?” or something to that effect.
Schumacher’s 2008 Cinderella story seemed to have the makings of just that — a fairy tale. A kid from nowhere (with echos of Bill Murray in Caddyshack) is suddenly climbing with the featherweights and oh, by the way, teach world TT champ Cancellaria a thing or two about time-trialing.
At the time, bells and whistles were going off in my brain – and apparently Lance was hearing them as well – to the effect of “what’s gotten into this guy?”
Apparently now we know.
On the brighter side, it is certainly refreshing to have all these riders who thought they could outsmart the system get hung by their own pitards. Schumacher, Peipoli, Frank Schleck*, etc.
With enough hangings, eventually the behaviour ought to improve, right?