The Phonak team has attracted more unwanted publicity after it refused to allow one of its Spanish riders, Santos Gonzalez, to start the 18th stage of the Vuelta a España following an internal doping control. .A Phonak team source told AFP that Gonzalez, who was eighth overall in the general classification, was refused a start "because during a control he was over the permitted limits set by the team."

No further details were divulged to the press, although the team's brief statement suggests that Gonzalez's hematocrit (red blood cell count) level may have been near or above the permitted threshold of 50 percent set by the UCI. .An elevated hematocrit level is an indication, though not proof, that blood boosting, either through transfusion or using the banned hormone EPO (erythropoietin) has taken place.

The race organizers stressed that Gonzalez's departure had come from his team.

"The Phonak team themselves decided to not allow Gonzalez to start the stage," a statement said.

Gonzalez still has a year left on his contract with the Swiss outfit, which has encountered several problems due to doping over the past two years. Last year, three Phonak riders were found positive: Tyler Hamilton and Santiago Perez for blood doping and Oscar Camenzind for EPO.

Hamilton was found to positive in a blood-doping test after winning the 11th stage individual time trial. His case is currently on appeal in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as is Perez's. Camenzind simply retired from the sport.

Less than a month ago 33-year-old Italian Fabrizio Guidi was told that a sample he supplied in July had tested positive.