ESPN Cycling

TOULOUSE, France -- Manuel Beltran's ejection from the Tour de France drew a strong response Saturday from team managers.

The 37-year-old Liquigas rider tested positive for EPO after the race's opening stage, having being targeted by the French anti-doping agency after pre-Tour tests revealed abnormal blood parameters.

The Spaniard was suspended by his team Friday when news of his positive test broke and he could be fired if the "B" sample confirms traces of the banned performance enhancer.

"It still happens in 2008, first stage of the Tour de France, I could not believe it," Silence-Lotto sporting director Marc Sergeant said Saturday. "It's good that he is out, I hope he is the last. The only positive thing about it is that he has been caught."

Sergeant said he was angry that the encouraging start to the race had been overshadowed by Beltran's test result. The rider was led away from his hotel by police for questioning.

"All of a sudden things changed again, the police (came), it made me sad," said Sergeant, whose team is led by the Australian Tour contender Cadel Evans.

Jonathan Vaughters of Team Garmin-Chipotle looked on the bright side.

"Really, really stringent testing procedures have to continue for a while," Vaughters said. "This is a sign that the controls are working appropriately, without police intervention. The science is actually catching up."

French sports minister Bernard Laporte praised Tour organizers ASO for having strong doping controls.

"There are tests, there are follow-ups and I am satisfied," Laporte said. "I spoke to the organizers and I congratulated them."

Bjarne Riis, the 1996 Tour winner who last year admitted to having taken EPO during his racing career, said Beltran has let down cycling.

"He has to leave. It is good that the controls are working," said Riis, who owns the Danish-backed Team CSC Saxo Bank. "I don't think it is a scandal for cycling and the Tour. I think he (Beltran) is a scandal."

---

FRENCH FLOPS: Five-time Tour de France champion Bernard Hinault of France urged French riders to concentrate on winning stages rather than beating each other.

Hinault is the last Frenchman to win the Tour, clinching his fifth and final title in 1985. He was runner-up the following year, but since then podium places have been rare. Climber Richard Virenque was the last Frenchman to finish in the top three when he was second behind Jan Ullrich in 1997.

Hinault does not think any current French riders can challenge for either the overall win or the sprint and mountain categories.

"Winning the yellow jersey, the green jersey or the polka-dot jersey? No. Nor the white jersey (best young rider) when you see the potential of the (other) cyclists," Hinault said. "But winning stages, yes. That is what they need to do. Why try and fight to become the top French finisher? What is the best French rider when you finish 30th?"

On Monday, French rider Samuel Dumoulin won the third stage in a sprint finish. Hinault claimed this was far more important than trying to finish ahead of his compatriots in the overall standings.

"Samuel Dumoulin won a stage and he will get into the (history) books. You have to understand this," Hinault said. "You should not be scared, you have to continue, it will pay off one day."

---

SORRY, OFFICER: Tour de France favorite Cadel Evans invited police officers onto his team bus to apologize for shoving an officer on a motorbike during Thursday's sixth stage.

The incident occurred when the police officer braked suddenly in front of Evans, who was trying to rejoin the main field after a flat.

The following morning, Evans chatted to the officer on his Silence-Lotto team bus and said sorry. He has also promised a team jersey to the officer at the end of the July 5-27 race, sports daily L'Equipe said.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index