Today is a sad day for cycling, but even sadder for Spanish cycling. Contador, one the best cyclist competing today goes down for using clenbuterol, and now Garcia for using EPO and masking it with HES. Not only is this another black eye on the face of professional cycling, but it is a real blow to Spanish cycling. How do fans, with a straight face ever believe what their favorite riders are telling them. Bicycle.net only hopes that at some point these guys will get the message. You will get caught, and we will never support you in the future.

MADRID, Jan 27, 2011 – Spanish cyclist David Garcia has been handed a
two-year doping ban following his positive test at the last Tour of Spain, the
Spanish Cycling Federation said Thursday.

Garcia, who finished in 11th place competing with the Xacobeo team at ‘La
Vuelta’, took the in-competition test on September 13 after which the Madrid
laboratory analyzing his sample detected banned blood booster EPO.

The World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Madrid indicated an
adverse analytical finding of EPO and found the racer had tested positive for
another prohibited substance, Hydroxyethyl Starch (HES), based on samples
taken on September 16 in Cologne, Germany.

HES is known to improve the blood circulation, but it also helps to mask
the use of blood boosting substances such as EPO (erythropoietin) by reducing
the levels of red blood cells, known as haematocrit.

Under cycling rules, findings of HES masking agent do not warrant an
immediate provisional suspension, while performance-enhancing EPO does.

The ban on Garcia was yet another blow to the reputation of Spain’s
cyclists as it came a day after Tour de France champion Alberto Contador
received notification of a one-year ban proposal from the Spanish Cycling
Federation for his positive test from last year’s Tour de France.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) provisionally suspended Contador in
August in advance of the Spanish decision after trace amounts of clenbuterol
were found in a urine sample taken during the Tour de France.

Contador insists he unknowingly ingested the clenbuterol from beef brought
from Spain to France during the second rest day of the Tour, just four days
before he won his third title.

Clenbuterol was banned by the European Union in 1996 but it is still
administered illicitly by some cattle farmers.

It is listed by the the World Anti-Doping Agency as an anabolic agent that
is prohibited for use by athletes at all times, both in and out of competition.

Article:AFP