Roberto HERAS tested positive for EPO on 17 September 2005, after stage 20 of the Vuelta a Espana. He was suspended by the UCI for 2 years and disqualified as winner of the Vuelta 2005. The Superior Court of Justice of Castilla y Leon overturned this sentence in June 2011. In December 2012 Spain’s Supreme Court confirmed the judgement of the Superior Court and the Spanish federation reinstated Roberto HERAS as winner of the Vuelta 2005. In January 2016, the Spanish National Court ordered the Spanish state to pay Roberto HERAS 725,000 Euros as compensation for lost earnings during his suspension period. This judgement was confirmed by the Spanish Supreme Court in May 2017.