AG2R rider Sylvain Georges tests positive for stimulant Heptaminol, leaves Giro

The UCI has revealed that AG2R La Mondiale rider Sylvain Georges, who failed to take to the start of Stage 11 of the Giro d'Italia in Tarvisio this morning, has tested positive for the stimulant Heptaminol in a sample taken last Friday, the day of Stage 7 of the race.

In a statement, the governing body said:

Earlier today the UCI notified French rider Sylvain Georges of an Adverse Analytical Finding (presence of the stimulant Heptaminol based on the analysis report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Roma) in his urine sample collected at the Giro d’Italia on 10 May 2013.

Mr Georges has the right to request and attend the analysis of his B sample.

The UCI Anti-Doping Rules do not impose a provisional suspension given the nature of the substance, which is a specified substance.

Aged 28 and hailing from Beaumont in the Puy-de-Dôme department of France, almost exactly 12 months ago Georges took the biggest win of his career when he rode solo for 50km to take Stage 6 of the Amgen Tour of California at Big Bear Lake.

Dmitry Fofonov, now an assistant sports director at Astana, was handed a ban after testing positive for the same substance during the 2008 Tour de France, which he had finished in 19th place. The Kazakh rider was fired by his Credur Agricole team, joining Astana in 2010 after his ban ended and retired from racing last year.