Another positive test...

Chips Lovell

Fion_McCool wrote: »

It's very sad for the sport, when the first thing that comes into your mind after seeing some extraordinary athletic cycling feat is - what is he taking ?

In fairness, there's extraordinary feats and there's taking the p**s. It just isn't normal to go flying off the front of a bunch and sprinting up big mountain passes as if they were no more than a hump backed bridge. The problem is that we've become so used to seeing this in cycling.

Hungrycol

Wonder how much testing went on in this years Euro 2008?!

dedon

thanks Smithslist!! Rasmussen had a positive test for Dynepo is last years Tour but they couldnt nail him for it as the test was not perse developed yet.

The Giro must have been riddled with this drug. He isnt the only one on it I'd say

dedon

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fion_McCool
It's very sad for the sport, when the first thing that comes into your mind after seeing some extraordinary athletic cycling feat is - what is he taking ?

Quote:
In fairness, there's extraordinary feats and there's taking the p**s. It just isn't normal to go flying off the front of a bunch and sprinting up big mountain passes as if they were no more than a hump backed bridge. The problem is that we've become so used to seeing this in cycling.

Remind you of a certain American???

smithslist

dedon wrote: »

The Giro must have been riddled with this drug. He isnt the only one on it I'd say

yeah they say they have a list of 20-30 riders wit abnormal blood levels, im glad they are catching them, but its bad for le tour and cycling......

TinyExplosions

dedon wrote: »

I'd say a few guys are getting nervous. big time. Its a pity the testing was not as accuarate back in the Armstrong days

Why does it always have to come back to f**kin Lance Armstrong. We all know it's an issue that divides opinion, but someone always has to bring him up, yet never say "pity the testing was not as accuarate back in the Mercx days", or any other time. Let it go already!!!

Fion_McCool

The inspiration for the 'King of the Mountains' jersey ?

zzzzzzzz

el tonto wrote: »

In fairness, there's extraordinary feats and there's taking the p**s. It just isn't normal to go flying off the front of a bunch and sprinting up big mountain passes as if they were no more than a hump backed bridge. The problem is that we've become so used to seeing this in cycling.

A la Lance on Alpe D'Huez. If everyone around him doped and he thrashed everyone - how can he be clean?

zzzzzzzz

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Why does it always have to come back to f**kin Lance Armstrong. We all know it's an issue that divides opinion, but someone always has to bring him up, yet never say "pity the testing was not as accuarate back in the Mercx days", or any other time. Let it go already!!!

It always comes back to Lance because it's so unimaginable that he didn't dope but he still got away with it.

TinyExplosions

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

It always comes back to Lance because it's so unimaginable that he didn't dope but he still got away with it.

Without dragging up that old chestnut again though, he wasn't the only one to "get away with it or not". Let sleeping dogs lie!

niceonetom

we've already had one thread hijacked by the lance issue this week. let's not have another one ay?

Hungrycol

The French bacame to really dislike LA so much so that he moved to Spain to train. IMO they'd have done everything in their power not to have an American win THEIR Tour meaning that I believe they would have tested him beyond belief. And yet still nothing found. I have never gotten into a LA debate as I don't know enought about him or doping contols to be able to argue with authority. I believe innocent until proven guilty.

Hungrycol

niceonetom wrote: »

we've already had one thread hijacked by the lance issue this week. let's not have another one ay?

I'll get my coat.

dedon

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

It always comes back to Lance because it's so unimaginable that he didn't dope but he still got away with it.

It is SO important because he won 7 of these and is lorded as one of the greatest ever sports people. The fact is he got away with it (so far and its just not fair.

I will leave it at that!

zzzzzzzz

dedon wrote: »

It is SO important because he won 7 of these and is lorded as one of the greatest ever sports people. The fact is he got away with it (so far and its just not fair.

I will leave it at that!

If anyone wants a copy of LA Confidentiel i have it as a pdf. It's an interesting read. PM me

blorg

Would never have happened if we voted YES to Lisbon.

I will also note that Lance was not wearing a helmet for some of his victories.

dedon

Back to Ricco!! Looking forward to hearing his excuses. And looking forward to see the names of those 20/30 riders under suspicion. You can be pretty sure they are dirty even if they cant catch them

Also I wonder are any of the so called 'only clean team' Garmin. Vaughters their dir sport is going out of his way stating there are clean clean clean

thereturn

While this result is obviously real disappointing what frustrates me even more is the reaction of some to the news. If the sport is to fully clean itself (which is what it is on the way to) then days like this must happen. To see it as a reason to stop watching the tour will only lead to more cover ups like we have had for far too long now.
I would have big question marks over likes of Valverde. Ricco was rumoured to have been one of ten/twenty riders sent letters from ASO over high levels of hematocrit. This new test that they have caught Ricco out with will clearly be a warning to other cheaters.
Teams like CSC, Garmin have quite radical anti-doping measures in place and they have riders in the top ten. Look at Cavendish's performance too and it is encouraging. That is the target. Even look at steps below to see remarkable steps that have been taken.
http://www.riis-cycling.com/upload/C..._AD_report.pdf

mcgratheoin

I'm not sure if Cavendish & the sprinters are that relevant in looking at drug free riders - it's practically a different sport to the guys riding for GC.
I have to say that it beggars belief how anyone on the SDV team thought they wouldn't be targeted when they had 4 of the top 7 in the King of the Mountains category after yesterday.

Chips Lovell

mcgratheoin wrote: »

I have to say that it beggars belief how anyone on the SDV team thought they wouldn't be targeted when they had 4 of the top 7 in the King of the Mountains category after yesterday.

Ricco was tested on the day of the TT.

Hermy

mcgratheoin wrote: »

Interesting as well that they tested Ricco 4 times in the first 5 days apparently.

Ricco's been under suspicion since his amateur days when tests first revealed an unusually high hematocrit level.

Tackleberry

Seems so retarded taking drugs in this day n age, with the focus of the UCI, race organisers, media, not to mention the coppers, and the relatively low rewards in procycling anyway, anyone bothering just seems like an absolute tool, and when you then look at the likes of Pantani and Jimenez who topped themselves after being tarnished or Landis or Hamilton who are shadows of men, just makes it seems so unbelievably stupid.

But I don't agree with those who take the "at least they're getting caught" stance, coz thats simply not good enough and its too weak a response to consistant and rife doping, there needs to be a much harsher attitude toward the whole sport in order to shake some sense into it, coz as is, its a bloody joke, a circus.

DirkVoodoo

I'm really gutted.

Does this mean everyone who had Ricco in their fantasy TdF teams will get points deducted, cuz thats the only thing that could make me feel better.:P

Funkyzeit

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I'm really gutted.

Does this mean everyone who had Ricco in their fantasy TdF teams will get points deducted, cuz thats the only thing that could make me feel better.:P

I hope so too...:D

Diarmuid

mcgratheoin wrote: »

I'm not sure if Cavendish & the sprinters are that relevant in looking at drug free riders

Actually seeing Cavendish struggling even on the cat2 climbs has made me like him even more. If he was doping I doubt he would be struggling that badly.

However seeing Piepoli (a 37 year old man) killing the rest of the field on Hautacam stretched my belief well beyond breaking point. Not sorry to see the back of him from this TdF.

thereturn

mcgratheoin wrote: »

I'm not sure if Cavendish & the sprinters are that relevant in looking at drug free riders - it's practically a different sport to the guys riding for GC.

Fair point but if you look at Frank Schleck, Van de Velde who are 2nd and 3rd and riding for teams who appear to be ethically very sound then it shows clean guys can compete. Sprinters too have a history of doping Zabel etc.

Fion_McCool

thereturn wrote: »

Teams like CSC, Garmin have quite radical anti-doping measures in place and they have riders in the top ten. Look at Cavendish's performance too and it is encouraging. That is the target. Even look at steps below to see remarkable steps that have been taken.
http://www.riis-cycling.com/upload/C..._AD_report.pdf

This anti-doping program adopted by Team CSC Saxo Bank is quite impressive and is obviously the way to go for cycling. It seems to be a lot more rigorous that the UCI 'biological passport' with all tests being taken unannounced.
Thank you for the link.

It is also heartening to see that Team CSC Saxo Bank are 04' 49" ahead of their nearest rivals with these anti-doping measures and on top of the TdF team rankings today.
.

zzzzzzzz

Ah lads - after reading all the stories online throughout the day I get home to watch the recorded live coverage and the eurosport commentary. Who's sitting there in the studio giving out about doping? Sean fcuking Yates...

zzzzzzzz

Tackleberry wrote: »

Seems so retarded taking drugs in this day n age, with the focus of the UCI, race organisers, media, not to mention the coppers, and the relatively low rewards in procycling anyway, anyone bothering just seems like an absolute tool, and when you then look at the likes of Pantani and Jimenez who topped themselves after being tarnished or Landis or Hamilton who are shadows of men, just makes it seems so unbelievably stupid.

But I don't agree with those who take the "at least they're getting caught" stance, coz thats simply not good enough and its too weak a response to consistant and rife doping, there needs to be a much harsher attitude toward the whole sport in order to shake some sense into it, coz as is, its a bloody joke, a circus.

I'd totally agree with what Roche was saying yesterday - they should have their licenses torn up and never given back. None of this 2 year ban crap. And they should have any victories in their career struck off.

My understanding of the situation is that this is a new product that they have just figured out how to detect. This would mean that SDV probably (most definitely) doping in the Giro where ricco finished 2nd overall. So to say that it seems retarded to dope in this day and age would be a bit off the mark. The punishment isn't harsh enough and there is enough to be gained by risking a two year ban.

dedon

Do you really think that Garmin and CSC are completely clean??? I doubt they are big time. I think you are being very naive in thinking they are. Like there isnt even a test for HGH. Its all just a publicity stunt!