Oct 5, 2009, 13:38 GMT
Paris/Hamburg - A new series of doping revelations could affect the overall standings from the 2008 Tour de France when the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) reveals the results of re-tests of samples taken during the race.
The results for 2008 will be announced at 1000 am local time (0800 GMT) Wednesday with the lawyer of German cyclist Michael Schumacher, who tested positive for the blood-booster CERA, expecting more riders to be outed.
'I believe that some more names will come out,' Michael Lehner told German Press Agency dpa Monday.
AFLD president Pierre Bordry announced before the start this year's Tour that the blood samples from 15 riders in the 2008 race would be re-tested.
France's L'Equipe reported that all the riders involved finished in the top 20 in the overall standings while Austria's Kurier newspaper quoted AFLD doping control director Jean-Pierre Verdy as saying that up to 40 riders were suspected of doping.
'They will definitely have some positive results,' said Lehner, adding that he expected a storm of controversy.
A total of seven riders were caught for doping in and around last year's Tour, including Italian king of the mountains Riccardo Ricco and Gerolsteiner cyclists Bernhard Kohl and Schumacher.
Doping at this year's Tour was under the control of the International Cycling Union (UCI), which was criticized in a report drawn up by the (AFLD) about the way doping tests involving Lance Armstrong's Astana team were administered during the three-week race.
According to the 10-page report, Astana riders were given 'the latest morning doping tests' and did not respect the requirement to present themselves immediately to AFLD testers on at least one occasion.
Armstrong finished third in the race which was won by teammate Alberto Contador.
Your Talkback on this Story