Russian rider Evgeni Petrov (Lampre-Caffita) will not start the 10th stage of the Tour, as he was determined to have too high a hematocrit in controls carried out on Tuesday morning. 33 riders in total were tested from Lampre-Caffita, Ag2R, CSC and Discovery Channel this morning. On Monday, 51 riders from Rabobank, Gerolsteiner, Domina Vacanze. Only Petrov was declared unfit to start.
Petrov will be forced to take a two week break from racing for "health reasons" and will also undergo further drug testing to determine whether he has taken EPO or another blood boosting substance. Petrov was sitting in 45th position overall. He is the second Lampre rider in the past five weeks to return a high hematocrit, after Michele Scotto d'Abusco in the Dauphiné Libéré.
