CUNEO, Italy (Reuters) - Riccardo Ricco tried to avoid the doping test that revealed traces of the banned blood-booster EPO during the Tour de France, the head of the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) said on Tuesday.

Italian Ricco tested positive for EPO after the fourth stage of the three-week race, a time trial in Cholet.

"When he saw that he was to be tested, he escaped,' AFLD President Pierre Bordry told reporters before the 16th stage, a 157-km mountain ride to Jausiers.

"But he was caught by the stewards between two cars.

"We then told him that as he had tried to avoid the test, he would be tested every day."

Ricco was kicked out of the race when the results of the test were revealed last week and his Saunier-Duval team left the Tour.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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