Samuel Sánchez suspended after positive dope test

BMC Racing's Vuelta hopes were slightly dashed today, after it was revealed that Samuel Sanchez has tested positive for a banned substance - growth hormone

BMC Racing has immediately suspended Sanchez and have replaced him with Loic Vliegen for the Vuelta, which starts on Saturday in Nimes, France.

Sánchez won an 2008 Olympic gold medal in the road race and has won stages in the Tour de France and in the Vuelta a España.

No Overall leader for BMC

BMC Racing don't have an overall GC favorite for the Vuelta, however they are fielding a strong team with a lot of experience. BMC are one the favorites for the opening Team Time Trial.

The team roster is now: Damiano Caruso, Alessandro De Marchi, Rohan Dennis, Kilian Frankiny, Daniel Oss, Nicholas Roche, Tejay Van Garderen, Francisco Ventoso and Loic Vliegen.

Loic Vliegen is from Belgium and has some pretty impressive career results so far, many top twenty finishes in the spring classics like the Amstel Gold and has ridden several stage races including, more recently, the BinckBank Tour.