Spanish Cyclist Halts Race Over Doping Report [J. Mark English]

ESPN.com news services -

MADRID -- About 200 cyclists competing in the road race at the Spanish national championships on Sunday dismounted and returned to their hotels in protest at a newspaper report that accused at least 58 riders of doping.

The riders had covered about three kilometers of the race, according to media reports.

Their anger was sparked by Sunday's El Pais newspaper which published extracts of a supposedly-secret judical investigation into doping.

The newspaper report, six days before the start of the Tour de France, said cyclists had taken part in systematic doping.

Civil Guard police investigations show at least 15 members of the team formerly known as Liberty Seguros were among the 58, El Pais said. Only four cyclists, all Spaniards, were identified in the newspaper report. No one at the Civil Guard was available for comment Sunday.

The Spanish Cycling Federation said it was looking at taking legal action "over damage caused by leaks ... from a judicial summary that, until now, was secret"...

...The Spanish government has said it is determined to crack down on doping in sport and has passed a draft law which will make it an offense for professional athletes to use, or be supplied with, banned substances.