95th Tour de France - Riccardo Ricco Removed
Saunier Duval/Scott Withdraws Team from the tour after Riccardo Ricco positive doping test.

Earlier today Police  removed Riccardo Ricco off the Saunier Duval/Scott team bus and took him into custody. The rider was greeted by booing by the fans awaiting the start of the race.

 Pierre Bordry, the head of the French anti-doping agency, said Ricco tested positive for EPO for his "A" sample taken after the stage 4 time trial in Cholet. As a result the complete Saunier Duval/Scott team was withdrawn.

Failing to show for the start were: Riccardo Ricco, Juan Jose Cobo, David De La Fuente, Josep Jufre Pou, Leonardo Piepoli.

With 2 riders from Saunier Duval in the top ten we have a bit of G.C. a shake up at the start. The race will also start without a polka dot jersey wearer today. Current climbing leader  is: Sebastian Lang of Gerolsteiner and Vincenzo Nibali wearing the maillot blanc is the current best young rider.

Comments from Saunier Duval's manager Pietro Algeri
While Riccardo Riccò is still currently being held at a Gendarmerie station, Saunier Duval's manager Pietro Algeri briefly spoke on Italian TV a few minutes ago. He sounded deeply embittered, to say the least:

"When I got the news this morning, it was a huge blow to me. A huge blow to my passion for cycling, to what I've done over the last thirty years, and especially to our efforts in the last ten years. I can't believe that, after all those efforts, such things can happen again. When I heard that Beltran and the other guy (Moies Dueñas) were thrown out of the race after testing positive, I paradoxically thought that cycling was going in the right direction. And now there's this thing ... Well, I hope it may serve as lesson".

Saddened Algeri added that, besides pulling out of the Tour, the Saunier Duval squad temporarily suspended all of their cycling activities, a decision made by the same Algeri and DS Mauro Gianetti. "We'll get back only when things are more quiet" the team boss said.

New General Classification (top 15)
1. Evans Cadel 1 Silence - Lotto 46h 42' 13"
2. Schleck Frank 17 Team Csc Saxo Bank 46h 42' 14" - 00' 01"
3. Vandevelde Christian 191 Garmin Chipotle 46h 42' 51" - 00' 38"
4. Kohl Bernhard 115 Gerolsteiner 46h 42' 59" - 00' 46"
5. Menchov Denis 131 Rabobank 46h 43' 10" - 00' 57"
6. Sastre Carlos 11 Team Csc Saxo Bank 46h 43' 41" - 01' 28"
7. Kirchen Kim 41 Team Columbia 46h 44' 09" - 01' 56"
8. Efimkin Vladimir 104 Ag2r-La Mondiale 46h 44' 45" - 02' 32"
9. Astarloza Mikel 22 Euskaltel - Euskadi 46h 46' 04" - 03' 51"
10. Nibali Vincenzo 67 Liquigas 46h 46' 31" - 04' 18"
11. Sanchez Samuel 27 Euskaltel - Euskadi 46h 46' 39" - 04' 26"
12. Valverde Alejandro 31 Caisse D’epargne 46h 46' 54" - 04' 41"
13. Valjavec Tadej 109 Ag2r-La Mondiale 46h 47' 36" - 05' 23"
14. Cunego Damiano 71 Lampre 46h 47' 50" - 05' 37"
15. Pereiro Sio Oscar 37 Caisse D’epargne 46h 48' 14" - 06' 01"

Mountains Classification - Maillot Blanc À Pois Rouges
1. Lang Sebastian 117 Gerolsteiner 57 Pts
2. Kohl Bernhard 115 Gerolsteiner 56 Pts
3. Schleck Frank 17 Team Csc Saxo Bank 46 Pts
4. Sanchez Luis-Leon 39 Caisse D’epargne 31 Pts
5. Evans Cadel 1 Silence - Lotto 30 Pts
6. Nibali Vincenzo 67 Liquigas 30 Pts

Best Young Rider Classification After Stage 11  - Maillot Blanc
1. Nibali Vincenzo 67 Liquigas 46h 46' 31"
2. Monfort Maxime 189 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone  - 04' 18"
3. Kreuziger Roman 65 Liquigas 46h 49' 13" - 04' 31"
4. Schleck Andy 16 Team Csc Saxo Bank 46h 50' 47" - 06' 05"
5. Gonzalo Ramirez Eduardo 125 Agritubel 47h 00' 28" - 15' 46"
6. Lövkvist Thomas 48 Team Columbia 47h 10' 49" - 26' 07"
7. Sanchez Luis-Leon 39 Caisse D’epargne 47h 19' 01" - 34' 19"
8. Di Gregorio Rémy 163 Francaise Des Jeux 47h 21' 28" - 36' 46"
9. Lowe Trent 196 Garmin Chipotle 47h 33' 19" - 48' 37"

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