Tour favourite posts positive drugs test

Updated 10.08 Wed Jul 25 2007
Keywords: Alexander Vinokourov, Tour de France, cycling, sport

One-time favourite to win this year's Tour de France Alexander Vinokourov has posted a positive drugs test.

The Kazakh's team Astana said that he failed a dope test following his victory in last Saturday's time trial and the entire team has now pulled out of the Tour.

Alexander Vinokourov's team Astana said that he failed a dope test following his victory in last Saturday's time trial

Vinokourov has won two stages on this year's race.

International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid said: "I cannot comment on this until the result of the B sample's analysis."

British rider David Millar, who was holding a press conference in Pau when the news broke, said: "I'm speechless.

"It makes me sad. I have the impression the riders will never understand."

Millar served a two-year ban and was stripped of his gold medal from the 2003 world championships after admitting taking the banned blood-booster EPO.

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