MILLAR: THE CONTROLS ARE WORKING

David Millar maintained that cycling is cleaning up its act, despite yesterday?s news that Liquigas rider Manuel Beltran had tested positive for EPO.

The Garmin-Chipotle rider told Cycling Weekly that his attitude to the race had not been changed by Beltran?s positive.

?It hasn?t affected me at all. It shows that the controls are working,? he said.

But Millar implicitly criticised the media storm that has blown up since news of Beltran?s positive was announced.

?It makes me pissed off when people are surprised that this happens. We?ve spent a decade getting to this point, and if everybody is naïve and foolish enough to think that we are never going to have a positive control again, then you may as well go home and not cover this race.?

?The media have a responsibility to understand that this is no way the last doping positive we are going to have. It?s going to go on for years.?

?What we have to do is handle it, carry on and do the right thing,? he continued.

Millar insisted that the majority of riders in the Tour were clean, and defended the right of the remaining Liquigas riders to stay in the race.

?If Liquigas believe that they have good riders doing it in the right way then they have every right to stay in the race. It?s up to them to handle this correctly and convince everybody that the other riders are doing it the right way.?

?There are always going to be guys doing it the wrong way, but it?s up to us to do it the right way. What we are doing with our team is the future of the sport. Same with CSC and Columbia. And many other teams are going in the right direction. We are already the majority.?

Stage six: Ricco storms to win

Stage five: Cavendish takes first Tour win

Stage four: Schumacher wins TT and takes race lead

Stage three: Dumoulin wins stage from break

Stage two: Hushovd wins chaotic sprint

Stage one: Valverde wins

Comment: How the Tour rediscovered its spirit

Doping back in Tour de France headlines

Millar: close but no cigar in Super-Besse [stage six]

Super-Besse shows form of main contenders [stage six]

Millar to go for yellow [stage six]

Team Columbia's reaction to Cavendish's win [stage five]

Cavendish talks about his Tour stage win

Tour comment: Why Evans should be happy [stage four]

Millar: Still aiming for Tour yellow jersey [stage 4]

Who is Romain Feillu?

Cavendish disappointed with stage two result

Millar too close to Tour yellow jersey

Stage 2 preview: A sprint finish for Cavendish?

Millar happy after gains precious seconds in Plumelec

Valverde delighted with opening Tour stage win

Comment: Is Valverde's win a good thing for the Tour?

Stage seven

Stage six

Stage five

Stage four

Stage three

Stage two

Stage one

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