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Tuesday, 08 November 2005 |
Cyclist Roberto Heras fails doping test
The Liberty Seguros team has suspended Roberto Heras after a suspected
positive test for the blood-boosting substance erythropoietin (EPO).
Roberto Heras, 31, a former US Postal team-mate of Lance Armstrong, won
a record fourth Tour of Spain in September.
Despite the suspension, Liberty Seguros said it believed the Spaniard will be able to "prove his innocence".
"The only thing I can think of is that it is a laboratory error," Roberto Heras told Spanish radio.
"My lawyers and the team are working on the case as we speak and there will be a B test on 21 November.
"I don't want to start speculating about whether the samples could have
been mixed up, but when they open the samples for the second test we
want to be there."
Liberty Seguros said it was told by cycling's governing body on 27
October that Roberto Heras had tested positive for EPO and it added
that leaks to the media on Monday night had persuaded them to make a
statement.
Roberto Heras is renowned as one of the world's best climbers and had previously won the Tour of Spain in 2000, 2003 and 2004.
The team said "respect for the principle of innocence and a desire to
wait for the B test" had originally made the Liberty Seguros board
decide not to make the news public.
The test took place on the penultimate Vuelta stage, the time trial
between Guadalajara and Alcala de Henares on 17 September, in which
Roberto Heras was a runner-up.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 November 2005 )
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