The Tour de France’s zero-tolerance approach to cyclists involved in drugs inquiries by the police claimed two victims on Monday when the Slovenian Martin Hvastija and the Italian Stefano Casagrande, both of whom are under investigation in Italy, were excluded.
The tour is also awaiting further information on two other riders, the Italian Stefano Zanini and Lance Armstrong’s Czech teammate Pavel Padrnos.
Hvastija and Casagrande are not expected to participate in Tuesday’s stage.
”We do not want them at the start,” said tour organiser Jean-Marie Leblanc, who explained that the teams — Saeco for Casagrande, Alessio-Bianchi for Hvastija — have twice told the tour that the riders are in the clear.
All four were caught up in the inquiries in San Remo and Padova that followed police raids on the 2001 Giro d’Italia. Casagrande is under investigation regarding Eprex, and a corticosteroid was the substance allegedly found in Hvastija’s possession. — Guardian Unlimited