NIMES, France (Reuters) - Italians Leonardo Piepoli and Riccardo Ricco were kicked out of the Saunier Duval team for "doping practices", the team said on Friday.

"(Team manager) Mauro Gianetti has lost faith in them and he decided to fire them from the team," David Garcia, a spokesman for Saunier Duval, told Reuters.

"They have been fired for doping practices."

Ricco tested positive for the blood-boosting drug EPO on the Tour de France on Thursday while Piepoli and the rest of the team were subsequently withdrawn.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Miles Evans)