Barloworld withdraw sponsorship

South African industrial group Barloworld will end their cycling team sponsorship after the Tour de France following a positive dope test by one of their riders on the three-week race.

"Barloworld today announced that after serious consideration and in accordance with their policy towards doping that they will be withdrawing their cycling sponsorship following the Tour de France 2008," the company said in a statement on Saturday.

The contract was due to expire in 2009. Barloworld, which represents leading international brands, said they would honour contractual obligations and that discussions were underway with replacement sponsors.

"Not only will we finish the 2008 season but we will go on with the 2009 season with the budget Barloworld had allowed to us," said team manager Claudio Corti.

"I don't know how the team will be named after the Tour de France -- maybe 'Claudio Corti'," he added with a smile.

POSITIVE TEST

Spaniard Moises Duenas Nevado tested positive for the blood-booster EPO after the fourth stage, a time trial in Cholet last week.

He was fired from the team, who are down to four men after the retirements of Baden Cooke, Felix Cardenas, Paolo Longo Borghini and Mauricio Soler.

Chris Fisher, head of corporate marketing at Barloworld, said: "Team Barloworld has a zero tolerance policy towards doping which has been constantly communicated to the riders -- we have to act on this policy and as such we will all have to live with the long-term consequences of one individual's action.

"This incident has a negative impact on Barloworld and our brand principles, which our board has a duty to protect."

Italy's Olympic and twice world road cycling champion Paolo Bettini told Rai television: "I thought many had learned the lesson. I thought they'd realised the moment has come to change because the sponsors will disappear continuing in this way.

"It's difficult to convince big companies to invest in cycling after certain news stories."

Bettini is not competing in the Tour but hopes to finish his career on a high note with a second Olympic gold next month in Beijing and a third world title at home in Varese.

The Tour has been hit by the presence of drugs again this year with Spaniard Manuel Beltran and Italian Riccardo Ricco also testing positive for the blood-booster EPO.