PARIS (AFP) ─ Denis Menchov, Andreas Klöden and Michael Rogers are
among a “secret” list of 40 riders who warranted special attention
from anti-doping officials at last year’s Tour de France, a report
said on Friday.

L'Equipe's publication of the 'secret' list has caused an uproar at
UCI headquarters.

The French sports daily L’Equipe said the “secret” list was created by
the UCI after blood samples taken two days before last year’s race
were compared with evidence already available on the riders’
biological passports.

According to the newspaper, the list was created by Pierre-Edouard
Sottas, a doping specialist with the International Olympic Committee-
accredited (IOC) laboratory in Lausanne who now works for the World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The UCI created the list in a bid to ascertain which riders may or may
not have been using banned substances or methods in the run-up to the
three-week epic.

Based on the comparison of the 198 blood samples taken on July 1, 2010
with blood parameters that go back as far as 2008, the list puts the
entire Tour peloton into 11 categories, ranging from zero to 10.
UCI and Tour react

While conceding the list had indeed been created, the UCI quickly
pointed out that its publication was a violation of riders’ and the
organization’s confidentiality and promised an investigation into the
source of the leak.

The UCI issued a formal statement in response to the publication of
the list, noting that “suspicion is not the same as guilt.” Earlier
the governing body said it would launch an investigation to discover
the source of the leak, but said the riders mentioned in the report
should not automatically be regarded as doping suspects.

“First of all, the UCI regrets that this document has fallen into the
hands of people external to the UCI as this list constitutes a mere
working tool to be used by the anti-doping authorities in the course
of their work at the Tour,” the UCI said late Thursday when it learned
of the imminent publication of the report.

“We regard this leak as a serious affair and we will be doing
everything to determine how it came about.”

The UCI added: “As regards the list, the UCI would like to highlight
that the reading of this list should be done so with a very precise
and provisional context.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme insisted Friday that the
list was merely a tool in the fight against doping.

“There is no ‘secret’ file. There is a list made for one of the three
international federations (the UCI), who have taken the biological
passport, that is to say a tool, certainly a bonus in the fight
against doping,” said Prudhomme. “Because cycling is a forerunner,
with its international authorities that a list, not secret, but
working, exists.

“You musn’t turn things around and associate the word suspicion with a
discipline which is fighting, precisely because it is fighting. Only
those who have a biological passport can have such a list.”

That was a point echoed by the newspaper, too. L’Equipe‘s editorial
column that accompanied the list praises cycling and the UCI for the
fight against doping. Under the headline “Cycling shows the way”
editor Gilles Simon writes (in part): “What you have in front of your
eyes is not a lists of culprits. The inventory prepared by the UCI
doctors is a working document for the attention of the anti-doping
inspectors. Its a unique document, without precedent in other sports,
the fruit of a long-term work and observation, which constitutes a
sharp instrument in the anti-doping politics led by the UCI. … it
reveals a reality far detached from the belief that ‘all doped’ and
twists the neck of the idea of organized doping within teams.”
Levels of scrutiny

Those in the five lower categories warranted barely any scrutiny, with
perhaps only one biological parameter giving scientists reason for
concern, according to the paper.

The samples of riders in category five warranted “precise, and
sometimes more affirmative commentary” from scientists, said the
report, suggesting they may have been involved in some kind of
manipulation.

Those in categories six and above (6-10) showed “overwhelming”
evidence of some kind of doping, due to “recurring anomalies”,
“enormous variations” in parameters, and even the “identification of
doping products or methods”, according to L’Equipe.

By far the biggest name in the top echelons is Russia’s Menchov, a
former Giro d’Italia winner who finished third overall in last year’s
Tour.

The Geox team rider is in category nine, just behind Spaniard Carlos
Barredo (Quick Step) and Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych (Radio Shack),
who occupy top spot in category 10.

Among the big names in category eight are Australia’s Matthew Lloyd,
who is currently without a team, and Belgian Jurgen Van den Broeck
(Omega-Pharma), who was aiming for a top-ten finish in last year’s
Tour.

Klöden (Radio Shack), fellow German Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) and
Australia’s Rogers (HTC-Columbia, now Team Sky) are the three biggest
names in six-strong category seven.

German Linus Gerdemann and Welshman Geraint Thomas (both Team Sky),
join Italy’s Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) as the three biggest names
in seven-strong category six.

Reigning Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain (Saxo Bank)
is by far the most high-profile name in the 15-strong category five,
which also features Italian Alessandro Ballan (BMC), Alexander
Vinokourov (Astana) and England’s Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky).

Contador is, of course, the only rider to have tested positive for a
banned substance in the 2010 Tour. He tested positive for clenbuterol,
which he blamed on contaminated meat which he ate. He was cleared by
the Spanish authorities but is awaiting a Court of Arbitration for
Sport (CAS) decision which will decide his fate in June.

The paper noted that the scores attributed to each rider “did not
constitute proof” of any doping or wrongdoing.

The report suggested that 156 riders from the 198-strong peloton
showed “little or no risk” of doping, with only 42 riders among the
top five “suspect” categories.
Pierre-Edouard Sottas’ list, published in L’Equipe
(Team affiliation in 2010)

Level 10
Carlos Barredo (Quick Step)
Yaroslav Popovych (RadioShack)

Level 9
Denis Menchov (Rabobank)

Level 8
David de La Fuente (Astana)
Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse D’Epargne)
Danilo Hondo (Lampre-Farnese)
Matthew Lloyd (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Iban Mayoz (Footon-Servetto)
David Muravyev (Team RadioShack)
Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Daniel Oss (Liquigas-Doimo)
Kevin Seeldrayers (Quick Step)
Konstantin Siutsou (HTC-Columbia)
Jurgen Van den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto)

Level 7
Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo)
Andreas Klöden (RadioShack)
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia)
Christophe Moreau (Caisse D’Epargne)
Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia)
Wesley Sulzberger (FDJ)

Level 6
Linus Gerdemann (Milram)
Christian Knees (Milram)
Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Francesco Reda (Quick Step)
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese)
Mauro Santambrogio (BMC)
Geraint Thomas (Sky)

Level 5
Alessandro Ballan (BMC)
Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank)
Alberto Contador (Astana)
Cyril Gautier (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Iniaki Isasi (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Serguei Ivanov (Katusha)
Vladimir Karpets (Katusha)
Alexander Kolobnev (Katusha)
Kartsen Kroon (BMC)
Steve Morabito (BMC)
Benjamin Noval (Astana)
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Caisse D’Epargne)
Niki Sorensen (Saxo Bank)
Alexander Vinokourov (Astana)
Bradley Wiggins (Sky)

Level 4
Pierrick Fedrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Janez Brajkovic (RadioShack)
Bernard Eisel (HTC-Columbia)
Cadel Evans (BMC)
Lance Armstrong (RadioShack)
Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank)
Andrei Grivko (Astana)
Jesus Hernandez (Astana)
Ignatas Konovalovas (Cervélo)
Sebastian Lang (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack)
David Millar (Garmin-Transitions)
Daniel Moreno (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Serge Pauwels (Sky)
Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas-Doimo)
Luke Roberts (Milram)
Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Transitions)
Nicolas Vogondy (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)

Level 3
Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Doimo)
Grega Bole (Lampre-Farnese)
Bret Bookwalter (BMC)
Dimitri Champion (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Gerald Ciolek (Milram)
Rui Costa (Caisse D’Epargne)
Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Farnese)
Maura da Dalto (Lampre-Farnese)
Francis de Greef (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Kevin de Weert (Quick Step)
Markus Eibegger (Footon-Servetto)
Imanol Erviti (Caisse D’Epargne)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions)
Fabio Felline (Footon-Servetto)
Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky)
Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana)
Vasili Kiryienka (Caisse D’Epargne)
Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Doimo)
Mathieu Ladagnous (FDJ)
Robbie McEwen (Katusha)
Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia)
Sergio Paulinho (RadioShack)
Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha)
Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank)
Chris Anker Sorensen (Saxo Bank)
Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas-Doimo)
Paolo Tiralongo (Astana)
Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Transitions)
Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Charles Wegelius (Omega Pharma-Lotto)

Level 2
Eros Capecchi (Footon-Servetto)
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia)
Steve Cummings (Sky)
Rémy Di Gregorio (FDJ)
Mathias Frank (BMC)
Oscar Freire (Rabobank)
John Gadret (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-Farnese)
Vladimir Gustov (Cervélo)
Thor Hushovd (Cervélo)
Christophe Kern (Cofidis)
Thomas Lovkvist (Sky)
Sebastien Minard (Cofidis)
Daniel Navarro (Astana)
Grischka Niermann (Rabobank)
Stuart O’Grady (Saxo Bank)
Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Christophe Riblon (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Thomas Rohregger (Milram)
Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse D’Epargne)
Carlos Sastre (Cervélo)
Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank)
Simon Spilak (Lampre-Farnese)
Bram Tankink (Rabobank)
Stijn Vandenbergh (Katusha)
Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ)
Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank)
Eduard Vorganov (Katusha)

Level 1
Marcus Burghard (BMC)
Sandy Casar (FDJ)
Anthony Charteau (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step)
Julian Dean (Garmin-Transitions)
Michael Delage (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Martin Elmiger (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Johannes Frohlinger (Milram)
Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank)
Robert Gesink (Rabobank)
Xavier Florencio (Cervélo)
Adam Hansen (HTC-Columbia)
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions)
George Hincapie (BMC)
Andreas Klier (Cervélo)
Robert Kulge (Milram)
Alexander Kuchinsky (Liquigas-Doimo)
Daniel Lloyd (Cervélo)
Mirco Lorenzetto (Lampre-Farnese)
Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Transitions)
Aitor Perez (Footon-Servetto)
Alan Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Jérôme Pineau (Quick Step)
Ruben Plaza (Caisse D’Epargne)
Alexander Pliushin (Katusha)
Marten Tjallingii (Rabobank)
Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto)
Marten Wynants (Quick Step)

Level 0
Mario Aerts (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Yukiya Arashiro (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Stéphane Augé (Cofidis)
Michael Barry (Sky)
Francesco Bellotti (Liquigas-Doimo)
Alberto Benitez (Footon-Servetto)
Edvald Boasson-Hagen (Sky)
Lars Boom (Rabobank)
Maxime Bouet (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Pavel Brutt (Katusha)
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank)
Manuel Cardoso (Footon-Servetto)
Dries Devenyns (Quick Step)
Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis)
Julien El Fares (Cofidis)
Simon Gerrans (Sky)
Anthony Geslin (FDJ)
Bert Grabsch (HTC-Columbia)
Chris Horner (RadioShack)
Robert Hunter (Garmin-Transitions)
Kristjan Koren (Liquigas-Doimo)
Brett Lancaster (Cervélo)
David Le Lay (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Christophe Le Mevel (FDJ)
Andreas Malori (Lampre-Farnese)
Koos Moerenhout (Rabobank)
Amael Moinard (Cofidis)
Lloyd Mondory (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Damien Monier (Cofidis)
Juan Jose Oroz (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Rémi Pauriol (Cofidis)
Mathieu Perget (Caisse D’Epargne)
Gregory Rast (RadioShack)
Mark Renshaw (HTC-Columbia)
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale)
Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Pierre Rolland (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Anthony Roux (FDJ)
Jérémy Roy (FDJ)
Mathieu Sprick (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Rein Taaramae (Cofidis)
Sebastien Turgot (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Niki Terpstra (Milram)
Brian Vandborg (Liquigas-Doimo)
Jurgen VandeWalle (Quick Step)
Ivan Velasco (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Thomas Voeckler (Bbox Bouygues Telecom)
Fabian Wegmann (Milram)
David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions)