Tour De France: Riccardo Ricco Tests Positive for Epo

The Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco has tested positive for EPO, according to the French anti-doping agency.

Ricco, of the Saunier-Duval team, is the winner of two stages in this year's race - the sixth and the ninth - and was ninth in the general classification. His positive test came after the fourth stage.

He was also the holder of both the polka-dot and white jerseys, for the race's leading climber and youth rider respectively.

Ricco, who was taken off the Saunier-Duval team bus by police this morning, becomes the third rider to test positive for a banned substance in the 2008 race, following the Spaniards Moisés Dueñas Nevado and Manuel Beltran.

"It's for the same product as the other two," said the French anti-doping agency president, Pierre Bordry. "He hasn't been notified yet but will be in the next few minutes."