Everyone has heard by now that another TDF rider tested positive today. He was two-stage winner this year and dominant in the Pyrenees. He tested positive for a new EPO-type of drug - so new that it has only been available at the beginning of the year.
The doping labs said they are working with pharma companies to get an early look at drugs that might be used by athletes. This drug, Micera, is a more convenient form of EPO. The labs said they had the molecule some time ago to develop a test.
I bet some riders are nervous now thinking they could get away with this drug.
This is good news.....
Former Member
He used. He could not be competitive during those years without doing so.
Former teammates have confessed that U.S. Postal doped. His former teammates have tested positive. All of his major rivals, have either tested positive or have strong links to doping. His coaches and team leaders over the years were also linked to rampant drug use. There is a mountain of substantial and compelling evidence that Lance was on the PED's. Just like everyone else. Surprise.
Show us some of these stories...
I guess as the drugs become more sophisticated, the cost of coming up with tests to detect these drugs will be out the roof. Where is the money going to come from to support the research for these tests?
Show us some of these stories...
His personal coach Chris Carmichael has been linked to PEDs, former riders in the early 90s have alleged he doped them.
Lance's involvement with Mr. Ferrari, the EPO kingpin of Cycling.
Frankie Andreu and another (unnamed) teammate at U.S. Postal admitted using EPO with U.S. Postal when Lance became champion.
Witnessed testified that Armstrong admitted to taking EPO and HgH during his hospital stay while being treated for cancer. A former friend, Michael Anderson testified to finding steroids in Lance's home.
Stephen Swart, a former teammate of Lance's with Motorola testified that he, Lance, and the rest of the team took EPO and that it was systematic use on the team.
Tyler Hamilton, Roberto Heras, Manuel Beltran, and Floyd Landis have been busted for doping. All former teammates of Lance.
Various Links:
www.cbc.ca/.../instantmessage.htmlwww.npr.org/.../story.phpsportsillustrated.cnn.com/.../www.guardian.co.uk/.../cycling.cycling1www.nzherald.co.nz/.../story.cfm
All of this is such a tragedy. It will become a vicious cycle. Hopefully the tests will not become costly.
To get to the elite level one will now have to be able to afford expensive equipment (Like the new suit!) and these fees that you mention will ultimately fall on the athlete. People who are not independently wealthy will have to get sponsors or find some other way to get the money. How does one go about getting sponsors or more money? Usually by winning big. The desire to win big may drive folks to get the upper edge and thus seek out PEDs.
Instead of a simple competition between naturally gifted athletes it may simply become a competition between folks with the most means and "shady connections"!
Maybe the penalties for getting caught need to be more severe. I'm not sure that would curb it though.
His personal coach Chris Carmichael has been linked to PEDs, former riders in the early 90s have alleged he doped them.
Lance's involvement with Mr. Ferrari, the EPO kingpin of Cycling.
Frankie Andreu and another (unnamed) teammate at U.S. Postal admitted using EPO with U.S. Postal when Lance became champion.
Witnessed testified that Armstrong admitted to taking EPO and HgH during his hospital stay while being treated for cancer. A former friend, Michael Anderson testified to finding steroids in Lance's home.
Stephen Swart, a former teammate of Lance's with Motorola testified that he, Lance, and the rest of the team took EPO and that it was systematic use on the team.
Tyler Hamilton, Roberto Heras, Manuel Beltran, and Floyd Landis have been busted for doping. All former teammates of Lance.
Various Links:
www.cbc.ca/.../instantmessage.htmlwww.npr.org/.../story.phpsportsillustrated.cnn.com/.../www.guardian.co.uk/.../cycling.cycling1www.nzherald.co.nz/.../story.cfm
One of the things I find puzzling is how Greg Lemonde says he was taping all of his phone calls at the time....but mysteriously this conversation with the Oakley person was not.......most everything else sounds like hearsay....yes it does shed some shady light on the whole thing......
But you're telling me that the 7 time Tour winner is just being given a pass? I find that hard to believe....that would be a journalists wet dream to put all of this together and prove it to be true.....a lot of this sounds like sour grapes from a lot of those people.
Jim posted the link below in another thread which was almost lost (by the way Jim, sorry for the big ass comment on the other thread):
www.kansascity.com/.../710243.html
With the testers having come up with something to detect this mutant form of EPO I'm hoping a few people get a clue...so do you think the rest of Ricco's team pulled out onlly to show support or for fear of further test failures?
About Lance...uuuggghhh...I watched almost all of his last 3 tours...stunned at the power/grace and beauty of this guys riding...and as has been my problem since the East Germans...wondering. We'll never know and just as with Dara innocent until proven guilty.
I think they pulled out in fear........
Yeah, Lance always made me wonder......but I think a lot of his newness did come from his cancer treatments.....nothing like being able to use all of the stuff you aren't supposed to.....still....would never want to go through that myself........
It's all so sad. Despite my love for cycling, I can't watch the Tour anymore because of things like this. In 2006, my son, seven at the time, and I watched the Tour. It was so hard to explain to him what happened to his hero, Floyd Landis. In 2007, it was Team Astana that broke our hearts. We adopted our son from Kazakhstan in 2000, so he was thrilled to see a team from his home country in the Tour. Once again, I had to break some hard news to him and it was not fun. I didn't want to have to do it again, so I haven't been following it this year.
Who has the yellow jersey now?
Cadel Evans (Australian) has the yellow now. Cadel finished 2nd last year behind Alberto Contador. An American, Christian Vande Velde, is in 3rd. VandeVelde rides for the Garmin-Chipotle team, which on its own has taken a very public no-drugs stance. Garmin-Chipotle does its own drug testing above and beyond what the official bodies do. George Hincapie's team, Columbia, has taken a similar position.
I was NOT following the TDF this year until the Ricco test. Now I want to track how the Garmin-Chipotle boys do.
I guess as the drugs become more sophisticated, the cost of coming up with tests to detect these drugs will be out the roof. Where is the money going to come from to support the research for these tests?
I suppose the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and other groups collect fees from the different sports that use their technology. WADA is a non-profit group. Yes it will cost a fair amount of money - but if the drug companies assist perhaps it won't be crazy expensive. The integrity of these sports is at risk so I'd say the investment is justified completely.
No matter how much they improve drug testing, people will find away to improve the drugs.
As long as there is some sort of possible reward for athletic performance, cheaters will find away to get better drugs.
I don't think wada,ioc, or any other group can come up with an ulimate penalty to detour cheaters, because someone will always be willing to take the risk for the reward.
It already is a vicious cycle. It has been going on in sports for decades. But the good news is that the investment in testing is strong and growing.
I think there will always be cheaters in sports. I happen to believe it will always be a small minority of people - because if it became too common the testers would know and detection would be easier. I think it is also difficult to keep some things secret for long periods of time.
The test that caught Ricco is interesting because they had a test already for a drug that has only been available this year. I have to believe there are other cyclists out there who are sleeping badly right now because they thought "no way they have test for this new EPO already" and they were wrong....
Ricco's team sponsor has already said they are likely to abandon cycling. When sponsors leave - the sport is at risk.
