| 09/15/2005 | | Denmark's Nicki Sorensen won the 18th stage of the Spanish Vuelta by less than a second Thursday, while defending champion Roberto Heras of Spain retained his overall lead. Sorensen, of the CSC team, rode the 197-kilometre stage in central Spain in five hours five minutes 34 seconds. Just behind were Spain's Javier Pascual Rodriguez of the Communidad Valenciana team and countryman Jose Vicente Garcia Acosta of the Illes Balears team. Three-time winner Heras, of Liberty Seguros, finished in a pack of riders four minutes later. Before the stage Team Phonak withdrew Santos Gonzalez from Vuelta after blood test irregularities. The Swiss-based team stopped the Spaniard from starting the 18th stage after internal tests taken showed his haematocrit (red blood cell) level to be above that permitted by the team. A high red blood cell level is a possible indicator that blood boosting has taken place. www.htzfm.com/content/cp_article.asp?id=/global_feeds/CanadianPress/SportsNews/s091533A.htm
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