Sastre wins Tour de France as doping saga continues

PARIS -- Spain’s Carlos Sastre won the Tour de France on Sunday, with cycling’s showpiece event again unable to escape the shadow of doping. Minutes after the victory, it was announced a rider from Kazakhstan used a banned stimulant.

Dmitriy Fofonov tested positive for a “very heavy dose” of heptaminol after Thursday’s 18th stage, said Pierre Bordry, the head of France’s anti-doping agency. Fofonov was immediately fired by his Credit Agricole team.

A French police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that Fofonov was arrested at his team’s hotel and held for questioning.

“These guys are crazy, and the sooner they start learning, the better,” International Cycling Union Chief Pat McQuaid said by phone. “You can never rule out at the Tour de France -- the biggest event of the year -- that these guys are going to take risks.”

The doping bust was the fourth at this Tour, after three other riders tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO. News of Fofonov’s failed test came while some teams were riding farewell laps on the Champs-Elysees.

Fofonov, known mainly as a strong climber, finished in 19th place in the Tour, 28 minutes 31 seconds behind Sastre.

It was the third consecutive Tour victory for a Spaniard. Alberto Contador won last year and Oscar Pereiro inherited the 2006 title lost by American Floyd Landis in a doping scandal.

Sastre held his narrow lead over Cadel Evans of Australia, finishing seven seconds behind his main rival for a 58-second victory. Bernhard Kohl of Austria finished third, 1:13 back.

Sastre, 33, is among the oldest to have won the Tour for a first time. It was his sixth top-10 finish in the race.