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Mayo had finished the brutal Stage 8 in the Alpes in second place just behind Michael Rasmussen, putting him briefly in contention for the Yellow Jersey (3rd place overall for 5 stages) until a terrible time trial in Albi put him out of reach. He also finished in 16th place in Stage 16 in the Pyrenees the day following the failed test, and 17th in Stage 7 in the Alpes.

The 29 year old Spaniard had already been under suspicion earlier this year following a “non-negative” result for testosterone at the Giro d’Italia in May, but had been cleared by the UCI.

Appearing on German ZDF television, Franke proclaimed “The name of this Mr Contador appears on several occasions on the court and police documents….All of this has been simply concealed and hidden under the carpet whilst the name Contador was erased from the list of suspicious riders.”

In discussing a summary of the evidence that spanish police amassed against riders caught in the Operation Puerto investigation last year, VeloNews Correspondent Andrew Hood wrote last week;

After a thorough review of the document, VeloNews found only two mentions of Contador. Neither of those two references could be linked to illicit doping products or doping practices, officials later decided.

The first reference to Contador is mentioned on a list of then-Liberty Seguros teammates (spelling mistakes remain as is) that appear on a document later to identified as a list of training schedules for members of the team:

En el documento 3 se observan marcados de distinta forma los nombres de los corredores: Dariuz BARANOWSKY; Josefa BELOKI; Ginpaolo CARUSO; Alberto CONTADOR; Allan DAVIS; David ETXEBARRÍA; Igor GONZÁLEZ DE GALDEANO; Roberto HERAS; Jorg JAKSCHE; Isidro NOZAL; Sergio PAULINHO; Nuno RIBEIRO; Luis León SÁNCHEZ; Michele SCARPONI; Marcos SERRANO y Ángel VICIOSO.

The second reference includes initials of riders’ name that appeared on another training document:

En el reverso del documento 31 se localizan unas anotaciones manuscritas con el título “INDIVIDUALIZACIÓN” en el que se identifican a distintos corredores del equipo LIBERTY-SEGUROS WÜRTH por sus iniciales: R. H. (Roberto HERAS), M. S. (Marcos SERRANO), J. B. (Joseba BELOKI), I. G. (Igor GONZÁLEZ), A. V. (Ángel VICIOSO), J. J. (Jorg JAKSCHE), A. D. (Alan DAVIS), L. (sin identificar), A. C. (Alberto CONTADOR) .

Contador’s name was also heard in taped phone conversations of Fuentes, but authorities said his name appears only in reference to conversations about race results.

So, we have confirmation that Contador’s name appeared, along with his Liberty-Seguros-Wurth teammates, in two of Fuentes’ documents, but police, judges and UCI officials reviewing the documents last year concluded the same thing; that there was no indication that Contador was doping. Hood goes on to write, “Even the elusive Fuentes, speaking last year on Spanish radio, said he never worked with Contador.”

Prof. Franke alleges that this has all been swept under the rug, by which he must be referring to the public dismissal of charges against Contador and four other riders who had been included in initial lists of riders whose names appeared in Fuentes documents, and were therefore under suspicion. Again, from VeloNews July 26, 2006;

“Five Astaná riders who were forced out of the 2006 Tour de France because of alleged links to a blood doping investigation have been formally cleared by Spanish courts.”

“Joseba Beloki, Isidro Nozal, Sergio Paulinho, Allan Davis and Alberto Contador have all received a written document officially clearing them of any links to the ongoing “Operación Puerto,” the Spanish newspaper El Diario Vasco reported Wednesday.”

“The five riders received a legal document signed by Manuel Sánchez Martín, secretary for the Spanish court heading up the “Operación Puerto” investigation, stating, “there are not any type of charges against them nor have there been adopted any type of legal action against them.”"

If Prof. Franke does have evidence that actually links Contador to doping it would be awfully good of him to share that with the authorities, UCI, WADA, and the press so it can be examined. It’s possible…given everything that has transpired in the sport in the past year, but it is also possible that we have switched from cleaning up the sport to mounting a press sponsored witch hunt. Personally, I want to see the documents before I rush to judgement on Contador. A lot of people who have been fighting bitterly to clean up the sport must have decided to look the other way in Contador’s case, or maybe just maybe he really is clean.

UPDATE: Some further information on Werner Franke. Professor Franke is 67, and former President of the European Cell Biology Organization. Professor Franke taught at the University of Freiberg and was head of a department at the German Cancer Research Center. Professor Franke and his wife have researched and written extensively on the subject of athletes doping, and abusing drugs. They are perhaps most noted for exposing research conducted in the former East Germany which lead to programs of illegal treatments of young athletes. He is an ardent critic of drug abuse in sports. Professor Franke is also a member of the American Society of Cell Biology, which has a brief biography of him on its website.

In the end Discovery Channel won by over 19 minutes, and placed two men on the podium.  Amazing.

1. BOONEN Tom 171 QUICK STEP – INNERGETIC 256 pts
2. HUNTER Robert 216 BARLOWORLD 234 pts
3. ZABEL Erik 181 TEAM MILRAM 232 pts
4. HUSHOVD Thor 101 CREDIT AGRICOLE 186 pts
5. CHAVANEL Sébastien 162 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 181 pts
The top finishers in the King of the Mountain Polka Dot Jersey competition:

1. SOLER HERNANDEZ Juan Mauricio 219 BARLOWORLD 206 pts
2. CONTADOR Alberto 112 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 128 pts
3. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 118 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 105 pts
4. EVANS Cadel 41 PREDICTOR – LOTTO 92 pts
5. LEFEVRE Laurent 125 BOUYGUES TELECOM 85 pts

The White Jersey was awarded to Alberto Contador, the top finishers in that competition;

1. CONTADOR Alberto 112 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 91h 00′ 26″
2. SOLER HERNANDEZ Juan Mauricio 219 BARLOWORLD 91h 17′ 17″ + 16′ 51″
3. TXURRUKA Amets 78 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 91h 50′ 00″ + 49′ 34″
4. KOHL Bernhard 95 GEROLSTEINER 92h 13′ 53″ + 1h 13′ 27″
5. SIUTSOU Kanstantsin 218 BARLOWORLD 92h 15′ 42″ + 1h 15′ 16″

And of course, the podium in Paris featured Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer. The top finishers in the GC competition:
1. CONTADOR Alberto 112 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 91h 00′ 26″
2. EVANS Cadel 41 PREDICTOR – LOTTO 91h 00′ 49″ + 00′ 23″
3. LEIPHEIMER Levi 111 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 91h 00′ 57″ + 00′ 31″
4. SASTRE Carlos 31 TEAM CSC 91h 07′ 34″ + 07′ 08″
5. ZUBELDIA Haimar 71 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 91h 08′ 43″ + 08′ 17″
6. VALVERDE Alejandro 18 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 91h 12′ 03″ + 11′ 37″
7. KIRCHEN Kim 27 T-MOBILE TEAM 91h 12′ 44″ + 12′ 18″
8. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 118 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 91h 12′ 51″ + 12′ 25″
9. ASTARLOZA Mikel 73 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 91h 14′ 40″ + 14′ 14″
10. PEREIRO SIO Oscar 11 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 91h 14′ 51″ + 14′ 25″

Today’s Top Finishers:

1. BENNATI Daniele 82 LAMPRE-FONDITAL 3h 51′ 03″
2. HUSHOVD Thor 101 CREDIT AGRICOLE 3h 51′ 03″
3. ZABEL Erik 181 TEAM MILRAM 3h 51′ 03″
4. HUNTER Robert 216 BARLOWORLD 3h 51′ 03″
5. BOONEN Tom 171 QUICK STEP – INNERGETIC 3h 51′ 03″
6. CHAVANEL Sébastien 162 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 3h 51′ 03″
7. CANCELLARA Fabian 33 TEAM CSC 3h 51′ 03″
8. MILLAR David 201 SAUNIER DUVAL – PRODIR 3h 51′ 03″
9. FÖRSTER Robert 92 GEROLSTEINER 3h 51′ 03″
10. QUINZIATO Manuel 157 LIQUIGAS 3h 51′ 03″
11. ELMIGER Martin 65 AG2R PREVOYANCE 3h 51′ 03″
12. BICHOT Freddy 132 AGRITUBEL 3h 51′ 03″
13. TANKINK Bram 177 QUICK STEP – INNERGETIC 3h 51′ 03″
14. ISASI Inaki 75 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 3h 51′ 03″
15. KRAUSS Sven 96 GEROLSTEINER 3h 51′ 03″

Today’s Top Finishers:

1. LEIPHEIMER Levi 111 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 1h 02′ 44″
2. EVANS Cadel 41 PREDICTOR – LOTTO 1h 03′ 35″ + 00′ 51″
3. KARPETS Vladimir 15 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 1h 04′ 40″ + 01′ 56″
4. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 118 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 1h 04′ 45″ + 02′ 01″
5. CONTADOR Alberto 112 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 1h 05′ 02″ + 02′ 18″
6. GUTIERREZ José Ivan 14 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 1h 05′ 11″ + 02′ 27″
7. HINCAPIE George 114 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 1h 05′ 17″ + 02′ 33″
8. PEREIRO SIO Oscar 11 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 1h 05′ 20″ + 02′ 36″
9. HOSTE Leif 45 PREDICTOR – LOTTO 1h 05′ 32″ + 02′ 48″
10. ASTARLOZA Mikel 73 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 1h 05′ 34″ + 02′ 50″
11. DEKKER Thomas 54 RABOBANK 1h 05′ 39″ + 02′ 55″
12. CANCELLARA Fabian 33 TEAM CSC 1h 05′ 39″ + 02′ 55″
13. KIRCHEN Kim 27 T-MOBILE TEAM 1h 05′ 44″ + 03′ 00″
14. GERDEMANN Linus 25 T-MOBILE TEAM 1h 06′ 01″ + 03′ 17″
15. SCHUMACHER Stefan 91 GEROLSTEINER 1h 06′ 01″ + 03′ 17″

It was another long flat stage and another long breakaway. The only thing missing was Jens Voight who has been a fixture on the long breakaway this Tour.

A group of four broke away early, Michael Boogerd (Rabobank), Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom), Frederik Willems (Liquigas) and Sandy Casar (Francaise des Jeux). Willems was lost to another canine collision, but was quickly replaced by Axel Merckx (T-Mobile) who had been chasing. [Willems was later seen in the peloton, so no serious injuries to riders, no word on the dog]. No one in the peloton bothered to chase as Boogerd was the only GC threat at 16, and the remaining group of four finished in a nice sprint Casar followed by Merckz then Boogerd. Both Boogerd and Merckx have announced that they are retiring following this Tour, so many were rooting for one of them to take the stage.

Teh peloton came in 8:35 behind the breakaway, which had lead by as much as 17:30 at one point, and the finish was a near copy of Stage 17 with Boonen taking the second sprint, followed by Hunter, Zabel and Chavanel. The GC contenders were all in the pack, so no real change in the top of the GC standings, except for a jump for Michael Boogerd from 16th to 13th. The Euskaltel-Euskadi riders lead a late charge by the peloton that prevented Boogerd from jumping into the top 10, perhaps because their rider Mikel Astarloza is in the 10th spot….

Contador retains the Yellow Jersey, Boonen the Green and Soler the Polka Dot.

Today’s Top Finishers:

1. CASAR Sandy 161 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 5h 13′ 31″
2. MERCKX Axel 28 T-MOBILE TEAM 5h 13′ 32″ + 00′ 01″
3. LEFEVRE Laurent 125 BOUYGUES TELECOM 5h 13′ 32″ + 00′ 01″
4. BOOGERD Michael 52 RABOBANK 5h 13′ 32″ + 00′ 01″
5. BOONEN Tom 171 QUICK STEP – INNERGETIC 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
6. HUNTER Robert 216 BARLOWORLD 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
7. ZABEL Erik 181 TEAM MILRAM 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
8. CHAVANEL Sébastien 162 FRANCAISE DES JEUX 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
9. EISEL Bernhard 24 T-MOBILE TEAM 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
10. HUSHOVD Thor 101 CREDIT AGRICOLE 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
11. CORIONI Claudio 85 LAMPRE-FONDITAL 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
12. FÖRSTER Robert 92 GEROLSTEINER 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
13. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 118 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
14. EVANS Cadel 41 PREDICTOR – LOTTO 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″
15. HINAULT Sébastien 108 CREDIT AGRICOLE 5h 22′ 05″ + 08′ 34″