Tour riders all pass pre-race blood tests

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) -- Saturday's Tour de France have been given the all-clear in pre-race blood tests, organizers said.

Leon Schattenberg, the head of the antidoping commission of the International Cycling Union (UCI), said Saturday the results of the tests, taken Thursday and analyzed in Lausanne, Switzerland, were "very satisfying."

The Tour has introduced new doping measures since one of the biggest drugs scandals in cycling history four years ago when the entire Festina team were thrown off the race.

This year organisers have promised more dope tests, with faster results, and barred Italian team Saeco from taking part after its leading rider Gilberto Simoni tested positive for cocaine during the Giro d'Italia in May.

Doping scandals have continued to blight the sport outside the Tour. Three of Italy's best riders, Marco Pantani, Stefano Garzelli and Simoni are serving bans for doping and German Jan Ullrich, the Tour winner in 1997, could also face a ban after testing positive for amphetamines this week.

The 2002 Tour starts with a 6.5-km prologue in Luxembourg.

 

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