Isidro Nozal

Isidro Nozal
Personal information
Full name	Isidro Nozal
Born	18 October 1977 (age 47); Barakaldo, Spain
Team information
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Professional teams
1999–2006	ONCE–Deutsche Bank
2007	Astana
2008–2009	Karpin–Galicia
Major wins
	Grand Tours Vuelta a España 2 individual stages (2003)

Isidro Nozal Vega (born 18 October 1977) is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist. Nozal was runner-up in the 2003 Vuelta a España and an instrumental domestique in Roberto Heras' 2004 Vuelta a España win.

Doping

In 2005, Vega was suspended for two weeks after being tested with a hematocrit level above 50 before the start of Dauphine Libere.^[1] In 2006, he was initially implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case, but was cleared of any wrongdoing by Spanish officials.^[2] He later admitted his involvement, saying he did three blood transfusions with Fuentes in the season before the 2005 Dauphine Libere, but denying he doped.^[3] For the 2008 and 2009 seasons Nozal rode for the Portuguese Pro Continental team of Liberty Seguros.^[4] In September 2009 Nozal and two teammates (Nuno Ribeiro and Héctor Guerra) were announced to have tested positive for EPO-CERA in samples taken for the previous month's Tour of Portugal.^[5] Liberty Seguros immediately announced that it would cease sponsorship of the team and its participation in cycling. Ribeiro's win was withdrawn and the second-placed rider, Spain's David Blanco, was elevated to the overall win. Nozal, Ribeiro, and Guerra all received two-year suspensions from cycling.^[6]