MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Britain's Robert Hayles and Dutch rider Pim Ligthart will miss the rest of the world track championships after anomalies were found in samples taken from routine blood doping checks.

A total of 66 riders from four teams (United States, Australia, Netherlands and Great Britain) were subject to blood doping tests Wednesday by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

Endurance racer Hayles, a former member of Britain's pursuit team, was hoping to compete in the men's individual pursuit.

However he will play no part in this year's competition after the volume of red blood cells in his blood (haematocrit) was found to be over the UCI's permitted threshold of 50 percent - an indication, though not proof, of blood manipulation.

A team spokesman confirmed to AFP that Hayles' haematocrit level was at 50.3, but British Cycling Performance Director Dave Brailsford said in a statement he did not suspect Hayles.

"We are totally supportive of the screening system. Considering the thousands of tests performed on our large squad by now, it is not unusual to get one or two such anomalies," said in a statement.

"Indeed we have had riders in the past who have recorded such anomalies during screening and which have been proved to be entirely normal."

Hayles won his first world championship medals in Manchester eight years ago, winning bronze in the pursuit and silver in the team pursuit.