The long arm of the law: French gendarmes stand in front of the bus of the Liquigas team

The case has thrown a pall over the race, which was seeking to recover from a doping-marred event last year and 10 years since a series of drugs scandals on the Tour destroyed cycling's reputation.

"When are these idiots going to learn that it's over?'' said Pat McQuaid, head of the International Cycling Union.

"They continue to think that they can beat the system. They're wrong. The system is catching up all the time.''

Beltran was immediately suspended by his Liquigas team after the news of his positive test broke Friday evening.

However the rest of the team still intended to race on Saturday.

Last year, a positive test for Cofidis' Cristian Moreni led the entire team to withdraw.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme said a statement will be issued later Saturday.

The next stage is expected to be a fairly calm one in terms of the race for the overall lead, as riders save their strength for the Pyrenees, which they enter on Sunday.

Saturday's 172.5-kilometre ride takes them from Figeac south to Toulouse.

Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg holds the leader's yellow jersey, six seconds ahead of Cadel Evans of Australia, one of the pre-race favorites.

More cases expected

Beltran, 37, is the fourth former teammate of seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong to test positive for drugs, and his case may not be the last in this year's race.

Pierre Bordry, head of the French anti-doping agency, confirmed that Beltran was targeted by drugs testers because blood tests carried out before the start of the race had shown "abnormal parameters.''

The agency announced Friday that some 20 riders had abnormalities in their tests and Bordry confirmed that other riders were also being targeted, but decline to say who.

Police raided the Liquigas team hotel Friday night and searched rooms, team spokesman Paolo Barbieri said.

Police custody

An official of the police division responsible for public health confirmed that Beltran was in custody and being questioned as to where he took the drug and where he obtained it.

Police have the power to hold Beltran for 24 hours, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The traces of EPO were found in a first sample taken in a doping test after the July 7 first stage of the Tour. Beltran has the right to ask for a second sample to be analyzed.

Last year, pre-race favorite Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan tested positive for blood doping and race leader Michael Rasmussen was kicked out just days before the end of the race for having lied about his whereabouts when he missed pre-competition doping tests.

Spaniard Iban Mayo also tested positive for EPO and was later cleared by his national federation, but the case is still being contested by the International Cycling Union.

In the 2006 Tour, American winner Floyd Landis tested positive for synthetic testosterone after a spectacular comeback ride and was later stripped of his title after a long court battle.

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