Paris - German cyclist Stefan Schumacher was on Friday banned by the ruling body UCI for two years over doping at the 2008 Tour de France.

The UCI imposed a worldwide ban until January 20, 2011, two weeks after the French Anti-Doping Agency banned him for two years in France.

Schumacher was found using the latest generation of the blood booster EPO, known as CERA, during retests of the Tour samples after a test method for CERA was available.

Schumacher has protested his innocence and stated errors in the doping control proceedings. His lawyer said he will fight the ban before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (dpa)