Vasseur cleared of doping charges
 |  All doping charges against Vasseur have now been dropped |
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VERSAILLES, France -- Doping charges against a top French cyclist involved in the Cofidis inquiry have been dropped.
Cedric Vasseur, a former member of Lance Armstrong's US Postal team, was one of eight Cofidis riders to be investigated by magistrates in the doping affair which rocked the French-based team in January.
The 33-year-old, a former wearer of the Tour de France yellow jersey, has been suspended since April when it was revealed that traces of cocaine had been found in a hair sample.
A counter-analysis later proved negative and Vasseur also claimed some of the evidence in his witness statement had been forged. However, he was still barred from riding in this year's Tour de France.
Seven other riders are still under investigation -- Massimiliano Lelli, David Millar, Philippe Gaumont, Robert Sassone, Mederic Clain, Marek Rutkiewicz and Daniel Majewski, as well as the team physio Boguslaw Madejak and the manager of the team's third division outfit Oleg Kozlitine.