Cycling behind athletics, weightlifting and baseball in 2015 doping tally

For the second year running, cycling is fourth on the doping league table, with 21 positive tests announced in road, track and mountain biking in 2015.

While the number remains quite high, athletics (62 positive tests), weightlifting (55) and baseball (30) are ahead of cycling in the list, with football (20) only one place behind in fifth.

The numbers, released by the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC), show 16 positive cases in road cycling, three in track and two in mountain biking. Just eight of the 21 riders caught were riding in the WorldTour or Pro Continental level.

Among the notable riders caught out in 2015 was Luca Paolini, who tested positive for cocaine at the Tour de France and subsequently admitted to having a problem with sleeping pills.

Tom Danielson (Cannondale-Garmin), Lloyd Mondory (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Davide Appollonio (Androni Giacattoli) were two of the other high profile riders who tested positive last year.

The MPCC note that while some sports do not advertise the results of doping cases, cycling reveals each positive test.