I knew it was too good to be true…
The UCI has just announced that Euskaltel’s Mikel Astarloza tested positive on June 26 for recombinant EPO. He is of course being considered innocent until proven guilty, but he certainly won’t be participating in tomorrow’s Clasica San Sebastian.
Otherwise, it casts a shadow on what had been–until this point–a clean Tour de France. Astarloza was the winner of Stage 16.
About Whit
My experiences might easily fit many cycling fans' definitions of “living the dream.†Since getting hooked on the sport watching Lance Armstrong win the 1993 U.S. Pro Championship, I've raced as an amateur on Belgian cobbles, traveled Europe to help build a European pro team, and piloted that team from Malaysia to Mont Ventoux. As a former assistant director sportif with Mercury-Viatel, I've also seen the less dreamy side of the sport – the side rife with broken contracts, infighting, and positive dope tests. These days, I live with my lovely wife in Pennsylvania and share my experiences and views on the sport at Bicycling Magazine, the Embrocation Cycling Journal, and at my own site, Pavé.
