The Canadian Press

Italian Olympic Committee performs surprise drug test on Tour leader Schleck

Mon Jul 21, 1:38 PM

By Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press

CUNEO, Italy - The Italian Olympic Committee performed surprise doping tests on new Tour de France leader Frank Schleck and his CSC team after Sunday's stage, which concluded in Italy.

As many as six riders were tested at CSC's hotel, CONI confirmed Monday without providing further details. Fifteen more surprise tests were carried out by CONI on unnamed teams Monday morning.

Labs usually require several days to analyze doping tests and no results were announced.

The Tour crossed into Italy on Sunday with a stage that ended with a climb to Prato Nevoso, during which Schleck took the overall lead from Cadel Evans. The teams remained in Italy for a rest day Monday before Tuesday's leg was to bring the race back into France.

The French anti-doping agency is controlling drug testing at this year's Tour. CONI, which oversees doping within Italy, indicated that Sunday's tests were part of a pre-race agreement with the French authorities.

The CONI tests will be examined at the committee's anti-doping laboratory in Rome, after which the results will be sent to the French agency, which would likely announce any positives. However, if a rider is found positive, they could face ordinary court proceedings in Italy, where there is a law against doping.

Three riders have been ejected from this year's Tour for doping: Spanish riders Moises Duenas Nevado and Manuel Beltran and Riccardo Ricco of Italy, who won two stages before testing positive for EPO.

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