Garcia receives two-year ban for doping

A positive result from drug detection procedures performed on Spanish cyclist David Garcia has resulted in the sportsman receiving a two-year ban.

The Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RSCF) made the announcement after an in-competition test administered at the last Tour of Spain event found prohibited blood booster erythropoietin (EPO) in Garcia's sample.

His test was performed by the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited Madrid laboratory and also revealed traces of Hydroxyethyl Starch - a masking agent for substances such as EPO.

Garcia's penalty came just one day after fellow Spaniard and Tour de France champion Alberto Contador received a one-year ban proposal from the RSCF following the discovery of forbidden chemical clenbuterol in his system.

Contador, who has won the Tour de France on three occasions, denies that he took performance-enhancing drugs.

He instead claims the positive result is due to eating beef contaminated with clenbuterol, which is still used illegally by some cattle farmers, despite being banned in 1996.