A French laboratory has confirmed the Spanish rider Iban Mayo's doping offence, l'Equipe revealed on Wednesday.

The Spanish cycling federation in October cleared Mayo, who tested positive for blood-booster EPO during the 2007 Tour de France, claiming his second sample was negative.

However cycling's world governing body UCI said at the time the second sample still needed to be analysed.

In theory, a cyclist would be banned for two years for a failed test. The UCI could pass the case on to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.