Three and counting. That’s what the Tour de France has become, and with Italy’s Ricardo Ricco being disqualified, doubt is hovering over every rider left.

A winner of two previous stages, Ricco is the biggest name to be caught using performance-enhancing drugs this year. He was detained by police, who have been quite busy cracking down on cyclists who have been caught using and/or possessing steroids.

Ricco made a bid to keep himself in the race by claiming he has a naturally high hematocrit level, which is an indicator of possible EPO use. It didn’t work and his entire team pulled out of the race, leaving more suspicion and questions being asked.

This marks the third consecutive year that the Tour de France has had a doping scandal interfere with the famous bicycle race.

Photo credit: bikeradar.com

Manuel Beltran of Spain not only has been disqualified from the Tour de France, he was physically removed by French police after testing positive for EPO, a performance-enhancing drug used for energy, endurance and recovery. Although unconfirmed, it was also said that there was a raid conducted by local authorities where Beltran and his teammates were staying.

The positive test was conducted following the first stage of the bicycle race, back on July 5. Pierre Bordry, the leader of the French anti-doping agency, told reporters “there are not just traces of EPO, there is EPO.”

The remaining members of Beltran’s Italian Liguigas team were allowed to continue in the race. The team immediately removed him after the positive blood test, and will await the results of a second sample before making any further decisions on his future with them.

This comes at a bad time for the sport of cycling, with the last two Tour de France races filled with riders testing positive for testosterone and other PEDs. “It’s a damaging blow,” International Cycling Union president Pat McQuaid said to reporters. “Once again, it proves that individuals are ready to take stupid risks.”

Beltran has been a part of three Tour winning teams in 2003, 2004 and 2005.