Vienna - Austria's anti-doping agency NADA has started procedures against two Austrian cyclists, one of whom is being linked to the country's disgraced cross-country skiing coach Walter Mayer.

The names of Christoph Kerschbaum, 32, and Ferdinand Bruckner, 37, appeared on a list of banned or suspected cyclists published on the website of the Austrian Cycling Federation on Wednesday.

Kerschbaum is suspected of having bought and distributed the blood booster EPO. He was taken into custody in late March and spent 11 days in detention, along with his alleged supplier, a Vienna pharmacist.

Mayer was also arrested, on charges of having sold substances bought from the pharmacist. Mayer's custody was extended for four more weeks on Wednesday, because of a flight risk and a danger of committing further crimes.

According to Kerschbaum's lawyer, the cyclist has admitted using and passing on banned substances.

But he has denied making a profit, which would carry a maximum prison sentence of five years in Austria.

Ferdinand Bruckner is assumed to have tested positive for doping in Croatia in March.

While Kerschbaum won two Austrian races in 2001 and 2003, Bruckner was a stage winner in the 2008 Tour of Hungary.

Mayer's case goes back to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, when blood transfusion equipment was found in the quarters of Austria's cross-country team after the Games.

Team director Mayer was subsequently banned, but his presence at the 2006 Games in Turin led to a raid on Austria's cross-country and biathlon team in which syringes were found.

Other players in Austria's doping scandal are the cyclist Bernhard Kohl, who has been stripped of his third place in the 2008 Tour de France, as well as sports manager and alleged supplier Stefan Matschiner. (dpa)