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FOIX, France (AP) ― Drugs hit the Tour de France again Thursday, and the third doping bust netted the biggest name yet: Italy's Riccardo Ricco, a winner of two stages.

The disclosure came hours before the 12th stage, which was won by Britain's Mark Cavendish while Australia's Cadel Evans kept the yellow jersey.

But as is often the case in cycling, drugs overshadowed racing. This is the third straight year the sport's showpiece event has been undercut by doping.

"May the cheaters get caught. May they go away," Tour president Christian Prudhomme said. "I said to the riders before the race, behind closed doors, that you have the key. ... Some didn't get the message."

Evans said he welcomed the drugs busts, and "that the sport is being cleaned up in serious, fair and transparent way. Our sport is being crucified for doing the right thing."

Ricco was detained by police and booed by spectators before the stage. All three busts have involved the performance enhancer EPO, cycling's drug of choice.

His Saunier-Duval team withdrew from the Tour and suspended all activities. The team bus was detained by gendarmes, said the prosecutor for the Foix region, Antoine Leroy.

Ricco tested positive after the fourth stage, a time trial in Cholet. The Giro d'Italia runner-up won the sixth and ninth stages of this Tour and was ninth overall entering Thursday.

"It's just amazing. It's irresponsible," British cyclist David Millar said. "This guy does not have any love or care for the sport."

Pierre Bordry, the head of the French anti-doping agency, announced the result shortly before the stage. Saunier Duval sporting director Matxin Fernandez said the team suspension will remain in place until it's clear precisely what happened.

"It's a team decision not to start the race," Fernandez said. "He's our leader. We can't act as if nothing happened."

Saunier-Duval is the first team to drop out of this year's Tour. Last year, two teams withdrew and race leader Michael Rasmussen was kicked out just days before the end for lying about his whereabouts to avoid pre-Tour testing.

This year, organizers pledged a tougher approach regarding drug cheats. Eight specially trained chaperones shadow riders after each stage, even climbing onto team buses, to ensure that cyclists go to doping checks.

Cavendish led a group sprint to the finish, completing a 105-mile ride through rolling hills and plains from Lavelanet to Narbonne. Evans, trailing in the main pack, leads Frank Schleck of Luxembourg by one second and Christian Vande Velde of the United States by 38.

Cavendish, a Team Columbia rider who had never won a stage before this year, was followed by Sebastien Chavanel of France in second place, with Gert Steegmans of Belgium third.

"Every time it's special," said Cavendish.

Ricco entered the day 2 minutes, 29 seconds behind Evans.

Ricco had come under suspicion about what he says is his naturally high hematocrit level -- the volume of red blood cells. High hematocrit levels can suggest EPO use but do not confirm it.

Following his victory in the ninth stage, Ricco said he has had high hematocrit levels "ever since I was little," adding "I hope soon that everybody will stop speaking about that."

Ricco's popularity in Italy rocketed with his two stage wins, drawing front-page coverage in the soccer-focused Gazzetta dello Sport.

"We are learning that things that look too good to be true are too good to be true," Millar said.

Ricco has said his idol was Marco Pantani, who in 1998 became the last Italian to win the Tour. Pantani faced doping allegations throughout his career. He died of a cocaine overdose in 2004.

Ricco's ouster came as judicial officials continued to question Spanish rider Moises Duenas Nevado, who was expelled from the race Wednesday. Duenas Nevado was stopped by police in Tarbes, at a hotel where his Barloworld team was staying. Police also searched his hotel room.

Gerard Aldige, the state prosecutor in Tarbes, told The Associated Press that police found "numerous small medical materials like syringes, needles, and medical drip bags, which theoretically a cyclist should not have in his room."

Aldige said Duenas faced preliminary criminal charges for "holding and using poisonous substances or plants" and "prohibited importing of merchandise."

Also found were capsules and gels, but their composition must be tested, Aldige said. He said one medicine not authorized for sale in France was uncovered, though he did not elaborate.

Liquigas team rider Manuel Beltran, a former teammate of Lance Armstrong, was kicked out of the Tour and sent home to Spain on July 11. In addition to Beltran, Floyd Landis, Roberto Heras and Tyler Hamilton -- all former Postal riders during Armstrong's seven Tour from 1999-05 -- failed doping tests after quitting the Texan's team.

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