Mayo's B sample to get B test

By Monika Prell

The counter analysis of Iban Mayo's B sample will be carried out today in the French Châtenay-Malabry laboratory, regardless of whether the Saunier-Duval Prodir rider or a representative is present, according to todociclismo.com. The French laboratory received world wide attention after its practices were scrutinised during an American arbitration hearing over the positive test returned by Floyd Landis, who won the 2006 Tour de France before being striped of the title following the hearing.

Mayo tested positive for EPO on the second rest day of this year's Tour, with the A sample also analysed in the French laboratory. The B sample was sent to the University of Gent, in Belgium, as Châtenay-Malabry closed its doors for holidays, but the B sample analysis gave a negative result. An analysis completed in Sydney also found the samples to be negative, which prompted the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) to declared Mayo innocent.

RFEC requested that the case be closed, however the sport's international governing body, the UCI, didn't trust the Belgian analysis, which has lead to today's the counter analysis in France. Mayo has reportedly objected to the counter analysis and has sent various letters of protest to the UCI.

The UCI's anti-doping chief Anne Gripper has said the counter analysis will go ahead today, even if neither the rider nor any of his representatives will be present.