Vinokourov positive plunges Tour into crisis

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-25 08:49

KLOEDEN FIFTH

Andreas Kloeden was Astana's best placed rider in the standings. The German, second in 2004 and third last year, was fifth overall, 5:34 down on Rasmussen.

Astana sacked Matthias Kessler earlier this month after the German rider tested positive for the elevated levels of testosterone.

Eddy Mazzoleni, who finished third in this year's Giro d'Italia, left the team in July because of involvement in a long-running Italian doping probe.

Mazzoleni, along with Giro champion Danilo Di Luca were asked to appear before Italian anti-doping authorities to explain their links to a doctor alleged to have supplied prohibited substances to athletes. The pair, who deny any wrongdoing, are waiting to hear whether they will be punished.

Astana withdrew on the eve of the 2006 race after five of Vinokourov's team mates were implicated in a blood-doping scandal, known as Operation Puerto, in Spain.

The investigation also left that Tour without 1997 winner Jan Ullrich, now retired, and 2006 Giro champion Ivan Basso, who has since been banned for two years after admitting attempting to dope.

Last year's Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is still awaiting a ruling from a United States arbitration panel after testing positive for testosterone during the 2006 race.

The American has protested his innocence but if the decision goes against him, he could become the first Tour champion to be stripped of his title.