This week in doping

It's been a big week in doping and doping controls:

• VeloNews.com | Two riders fail blood check at Dauphiné

  Liberty Seguros' Isidro Nozal (not to be confused with Discovery's Benjamin Noval) and Lampre's Scotto D'Abusco have been DQ'ed from the Dauphiné after testing too high on their prerace hematocrit levels. Officially, the riders are banned from racing for 15 days, but no presumption of doping can be made. Liberty Seguros, however, includes a clause removing riders from the team on any positive, so Nozal will be undergoing additional UCI tests to determine the cause of his high hematocrit.

• Yahoo! Sport | Hamilton appeals against two year blood doping ban: CAS

  Tyler Hamilton is taking his appeal all the way to the top, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which could shorten his 2-year suspension if they go for the whole chimera defense.

• Eurosport.com | Hondo banned for one year

  Potentially giving Hamilton a little hope is the case of Danilo Hondo, who this week had his ban reduced to 1 year with a four-year probation. He can come back in April 2006, after testing positive for stimulants in March.

• BBC Sport | Lotz leaves in doping controversy

  Quick Step's Marc Lotz was forced off the team when a local investigation turned up a dealer of anabolic steroids and growth hormone, and evidence that Lotz was a client. A search of Lotz's home reportedly turned up EPO and other banned substances.