ROBERT HEFFERNAN will have his sights on a medal when he puts the finishing touches to his European Championship preparations at the Irish team’s holding camp in Murcia today, although the Cork man has been keeping very much to himself since embarking on this mission.

The International Olympic Committee today announced that seven samples taken during the Olympic Games in Beijing had resulted in “adverse analytical findings”.

Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl has been banned for two years after admitting to using drugs during this year's Tour de France.

Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco has been banned from the sport for two years after admitting to doping allegations at this year's Tour de France.

MARK CAVENDISH continued to enhance his reputation as cycling’s new sprint king with a fourth stage win in the 2008 Tour de France yesterday.