Days or weeks...
NYT: Cycling to Use Blood Profiles in Doping Case by Juliet Macur
"Mr. McQuaid would not say how many cases were being prepared or how many athletes were involved, adding that it may be one or three or six riders. He said the doping actions would begin in 'the coming days and weeks.'"
Days or weeks...let's hope he means it this time.
80 comments:
Earlier this year it seemed like Astana was saying that Contador would be supported as the leader during the tour. But during the ToC, Leipheimer implied at least twice, to Velonews I think, that he will ride for Armstrong.
Anyway, my main point is that if enough big names get busted soon then it might be absurdly easy for Armstrong to win. Imagine if Contador was given a two year ban; Armstrong could win the next two tours and then reretire; Contador could return to win more tours... If you were Armstrong you might want the UCI to crack down on doping so you wouldn't have to compete with them... The UCI gets street cred for being ethical/consistent, Armstrong gets to win more while seeming clean. And although more busts will decrease money in cycling, Armstrong wining the tour would probably bring in enough money for a net increase. I haven't seen anyone comment with such ideas but surely it's on peoples'/CFA's minds.
Well, I am against doping and see the UCI as next to useless, BUT. If (if) they are going to act, then they MUST be sure that the cases are watertight. The last thing we need is another endless round of unproven doubt and/or litigation.
I hope, but dont expect, they will act in days so we can have the best blog site back on stream.
As usual, a clueless commentator, thanks CFA, you make cycling fans proud.....
I had similar conclusions but I was thinking along different lines. Think back to a couple of months ago. At that time Team Astana still was taking part in Damsgaard's celebrated anti-doping program, but Lance instead was taking part in Don Catlin's program.
Little by little we learned that for months Lance had refused to give baseline readings to Don; we learned that at Astana's training camp Lance disappeared when Don came to take samples; we learned that the management at L'Equipe and ASO had decided to look the other way when it came to doping cases; we learned that the Tour was going to be run under the auspices of the UCI again.
Such things suggested the following scenario: Lance, untested by Don and minimally tested by the UCI, would be motoring up Mount Ventoux at the Tour while Contador, riding clean due to Damsgaard's program, would look as if his tires were sticking to the pavement under the hot sun.
That's the scenario I imagined. However, the entire landscape has changed. I don't know what's taking place in the peleton, and I don't know what to expect in the Giro and Tour.
Interesting stuff, especially when the WADA boss suggests Chance Legstrong clear up any doubts about his '99 samples by having them re-analyzed. But of course Legstrong will protest that those samples are tainted somehow--a claim that he can make about ANY sample taken at any time! Now WADA is asking for the Puerto info FINALLY! It could end up being Legstrong vs Basso at the big stage races if this keeps up. Do the Legstrong faithful really believe that someone "spiked" those urine samples back in '99? How much longer can this whole facade be continued? They authorities need to take action before another cycling season is ruined.
Is president of the UCI really a job?
Doesn't anyone think Albert is seeming a little too strong? His TT and mountain performances in PN just seem a little suspect. He should be target tested right now to see if he's cruising with a 49.9 hematocrit.
And don't you think Contador is being tested? In France especially? Will all top performers always be suspect? What a shame. If this is what the sport is about, why watch?
Boo! Update! Boo!
I was also surprised by Contador's ITT performance. That he beat Wiggins et al. in such a short and flat TT is irritating indeed, but so far we have no direct evidence.
Also noteworthy is that Lance is ridding the Tour of Ireland in 2009. Guess who is part of the organising team: Darach McQuaid, brother of Pat McQuaid. That links the financial interests of the McQuaid family directly to Lance.
It is all just a big circus guys and these mafia-like structures are disgusting. We CFAs should stick with and support local races, true amateur sport is the way to go.
There is a conflict of interest re the Irish race.. If Lance has suspicious bio passport values at/after the Tour, will he be pulled out of the Tour of Ireland?
Even if this isn't an issue, the fact that there is such a close family connection means there will be the perception that something dodgy could be done.
Despite all the evidence that has built up over the past ten years, Pat McQuaid has already gone on record as saying that Lance Armstrong's return is a big boost to the sport, etc. This makes me very uneasy. Why is the head of the UCI endorsing a controversial figure?
Contador may well have bonked in Paris-Nice. It was notable though that LA's Twitter comments seemed to have a certain hint of relief that he didn't dominate the race, as had seemed likely on Friday. In fact, LA seemed more excited about Kloden's win in T-A than how Contador was doing. Nobody could have missed the snide comment about having 'much to learn.'
Which leads me to think...if there's a case that Contador is leading the Tour with Armstrong second, will all be done fairly? Bruyneel is far too close to Armstrong, and there is too much for LA to gain politically if he can take an eighth Tour. Armstrong has often talked about his fear of losing...I find it very hard to believe something dodgy wouldn't be done to help him overtake his team-mate.
Like what, you might ask? Well, in horse racing there have been countless incidents of horses been given fitness inhibitors, either by rivals, or by their owners in order to make them run badly and thus get a better handicap. A dodgy bottle containing beta blockers could derail Alberto and let LA through to win.
Too much of a conspiracy theory? Well, that may be the case...but if AC blows up dramatically while leading the Tour, one will have to ponder... I sure as heck don't trust LA...or Bruyneel.
Man, people are getting banned left right and center on Lance-friendly forums like roadbikereview.com for simply being opinionated. Thanks CFA for providing the ONLY alternative. Gotta love that Armstrong will talk to L'Equipe (the "tabloid") when it suits his aims...
SO BORED WITH ASTANA & CO. Cancellara WTF ????? twitter is lame
Apparently he meant months.
please write your column again it is the only sensible and entertainng write up around. weeks maybe months years........
Contador breaths a sigh of relief.
And the conspiracy continues...now LA can conveniently not start the Giro claiming lack of form and line things up to go into the tour fresh. They can show as many x-rays as they want, all just very convenient...Alberto - we really feel for you. Might as well ramp up your training now for another run at the Giro, LA will have his way to be team leader for the
TDF
No post about events in Austria!? Gosh, is there even a new Toto? Are your detractors too intimidating? I guess you think the news about Austria is nothing new and readers have probably already been through it on your blog. Well, you'd be right. But people want you to post anyway! You've sure caused people to have expectations. In fact, I can only assume you're secretly working on some Voltaire-like satire of modern cycling.
Stand by your convictions and ethics, CFA. Some of us applaud your stance and totally agree...McQuaid is a P.O.S.
First, let me say the commentary on CyclingTV is much better nowadays. Perhaps criticism helped or maybe the recent races (MSR and Dwars)were interesting enough to force them to stop the blathering and selling of their own products? Much better guys! Now we hear the reports about Legstrong buying LeTour (and thereby buying the sport of pro cycling)were not just rumor. Interestingly enough I heard rumors from ToC about more than one positive dope test on more than one big star. The story had an almost "we dare ya!" tinge to it with the big stars/dopers alluding to their plans (if outed) to simply take over pro cycling ala F1 or Nascar. They could then write their own doping rules ala MLB or NFL and tell the UCI and Olympic federations to kiss off. Perhaps THIS is why the UCI has been quiet so far about the supposed passport doping evidence?
can`t you come back cfa?
pretty please?
are Astana riders stronger than the rest or do they get stronger upon joining Bruyneel? Why is Leipheimer so dominant when his career should be winding down? Where was Popovych when he was supposed to be beside Evans in the mountains last year? I don't even want to talk about LA and AC. On another note, if Valverde says papers released VALV.PITI before his dog was born I would certainly question his mental health when he decided to call his dog PITI! I question every Italian although I'd like to believe Cunego, would love to believe Basso and couldn't possibly believe Di Luca! Garmin and Vande Velde for the Tour!! Giro will be a joke!
Soooo, CONI can find the evidence to nail Valverde, but the UCI, with all their passport data, were not able or willing to pass DNA onto Coni !!! First order crooks.
Looks like it could be years CFA, before we can read you excellent blog again.
9.52. The Giro has been off my watch list of events for five years. No change for me this year.
Now Legstrong is feuding with the French again! The basic idea about giving your sample right away when asked is the reason they now have an official stay with the rider from the moment he/she is informed one is to be taken until it's actually collected! Leaving the dope testing guy to chat with the Belgian while Legstrong takes a shower is just a stupid breach of the protocol. If ANYONE should know this it's the self-proclaimed "most tested cyclist in history" no? The busted collarbone will neatly explain any poor performance in the Giro (if Legstrong shows up) and will the feud with the French make it convenient to skip LeTour? Why can't this guy just retire again and go screw some more starlets?
I've got no idea half the time what you're talking about with your cryptic Twitter posts.
How about stopping wasting time with Twitter and write your blog (which has always been excellent).
How about the latest with Armstrong in France taking a 20 minute shower out of the presence of the tester...
Lance knows the protocol & then to lash out agressively in his defence he should be ashamed.
Then he get defenced by the UCI president.
Something must be done with Mr Dopestrong!
See McMouth is quick of the mark over the French testing control. Of course Bruynel and Armstrong know what is required for testing. They claim twenty minutes, wonder what time line the French have...my guess would be more like thirty. The guys at races who have the responsibility for taking riders to the dope control, under observation, even have the words 'UCI chaperon' plastered all over their jackets....one foot high!
when are you going to write again cfa? how much longer are you staying away? finding other stuff very boring at the minute....
tour results. 1 Contador (doper) 2 Leipheimer (unsure but any link to Bruyneel...) 3 Evans (unsure) 4 Menchov (unsure, did leave in 07 out of disillusionment with Rasmussen) 5 Vannde Velde (clean) 6 F Schleck (friend of Birillo) 7 Luis Leon Sanchez (unsure) 8 Sastre (hope to god hes clean...recent performances certainly suggest as much) 9 Sammy Sanchez (very unsure) 10 Maybe Andy S, Kirchen, Rogers, Valverde if hes allowed
Just would like to edit those forecasts.
tour results. 1 Contador (doper) 2 Leipheimer (unsure but any link to Bruyneel...) 3 Evans (has been regarded by other riders as indisputably clean) 4 Menchov (unsure, did leave in 07 out of disillusionment with Rasmussen) 5 Vannde Velde (Like Schleck, friend of Birillo, rode for Bruyneel, and for Saiz) 6 F Schleck (friend of Birillo) 7 Luis Leon Sanchez (same as contador) 8 Sastre (also friend of Birillo, began at Once with Saiz) 9 Sammy Sanchez (very unsure) 10 Maybe Andy S, Kirchen, Rogers, Valverde if hes allowed
You can't simply speculate that a rider is a cheat because of links to certain directors eg Leipheimer to Bruyneel, and then assume other riders with the same links (CVV), past or present, are clean.
cfa you are an ediot,just write on the blog and end it already
To be honest I know CVV was part of a Postal team where it seems the whole team were dopers ( I dont want a yank attack on that comment but the facts are there), but following Kimmage's coverage of the tour with Garmin last year I'm on the 'if Kimmage says someone is clean I wont argue with that' sort of buzz.He even forgave Millar though...come to think of it, maybe JV doped up Kimmage!! Anyway, I like to think CVV is clean....now.
I wonder if Hamilton will be candid now? He certainly doesn't deserve to spiral into a depression so deep that there is no return. I think I actually believe he took the DHEA because of depression; it seems 100% believable based on how his life has been panning out (dog, banned, divorce, mom sick, that all really sucks).
I truly believe in the power of redemption through complete honesty which is why I respect Millar. Maybe the truth would set him free of his burdens and help him down the road to recovery. He seems lucid in his comments; I hope people keep an eye on him in case he becomes rash in his decisions.
Hamilton. A lesson as to why convicted dopers should be banned from ANY contact with the sport, for LIFE. If only !!!
I don't recognize the twitter as a legitimate form of communication. With that said, the possibilities for no posts here are obvious:
1) CFA has been abducted (I casually reason this is the most likely possibility). Who knows who is posting our comments?
2) CFA is causing us to post for ourselves, thereby causing us to practice the independent critical thinking that he advocates. So, teacher retires, students become practitioners.
3) Related to employment. CFA is busy studying for the CFA designation. Or, became unemployed b/c he spent too much time posting here. He now has to face reality and seek employment.
4) CFA has become profoundly depressed by writing many thousands of words about the shortcomings of human nature. CFA has caused himself to become a fatalistic misanthrope.
I just hope that someday there's resolution to this situation.
12.32. well put.
couldn`t have said it better myself.
Look, it is simple. I am boycotting writing this blog until the UCI announces the results of the bio-passport. I realize that most people think this is a dumb choice, but I am too angry over the UCI's constant stalling and unreliability when it comes to anti-doping. They have to show some backbone for once and announce the bio-passport results NOW, even if it means horribly bad publicity for the sport, and perhaps some big stars banned. Every time you come to this blog and see that it is still not updated, maybe it will be a little reminder that something has to be done when those in charge of your sport are delaying and delaying when meanwhile riders' lives go on being utterly destroyed by doping and the total deceit it sows. I want people to think about that and what it means, and get as angry about it as I am.
Silence (the state of noise, not the team) is exactly what allows bodies like the UCI to continue their practices. You could do more good by updating the blog so that new participants can see an alternative view of professional sport, rather than accept the current state of affairs.
It would be unwise CFA, to wait for the crooks at the UCI to do anything. When have they ever been in the vanguard of change ? Their policy is to say and do nothing as long as possible - always has been, always will be.
I am as angry as others here about their lax attitude, given the current state of affairs. What is needed is for people to stand up against the negligent attitude being displayed. The internet is the only way this is possible, as the cycling media in general are complicit.
The more people are prepared to speak out, the more chance of breaking the 'omerta', which clearly does not just concern the riders.
Stand on your beliefs and values, CFA. Obviously, there are some out there that no nothing of the sort - too bad for them. As has been said previously, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/apr/21/drugs-cycling-giro-italia
Says that the first case should be announced before the Giro
UCI expected to announce first Blood Doping results before the Giro ! Don't hold your breath CFA, but get those fingers in training.
Maybe the day of CFA blogs is near again?? Looks like some form of announcement will be made before the Giro....which is either a case of the UCI standing up for what it believes is right, or is the UCI trying to show that it is bigger than the big tour organisers...we will see.
You people are nuts.
Pro cycling is all about the drama and politics. Doping ala performance enhancement for the politically correct has been around since the sport began. Read the history or talk with an old timer. The culture isn't going to change, it's ingrained. Best accept that armchair warriors, move on or kill the sport.
Gitane. Where is your moral code and vision.
The sport can be changed for the better. It requires people or institutions with the determination, knowledge, money and courage to force changes. Bike racing is about more than drama and politics, to those who understand and have experience.
For your information I am an 'armchair warrior' but have completed in bike racing first hand in Belgium, Holland, Great Britain and France for many years. If you have the same background experience, then you will know better than many, the need to remove the criminal underclass that is involved, and making the money, in bike race doping.
'Nuts', maybe, but honest with a understanding of right and wrong. Maybe the same as CFA. so I am in the right company.
Gitane,
If you want drama - go watch the soaps & if you want a little more "athleticism" watch WWWF or UFC.
Bike races with clean riders will perhaps contain more drama than has been the case in the past. No longer will we hear dopers proclaim that they are riding so well that their bikes have "no chain". We have yet to hear this from Lance or this year!!
I think the problem does not so much lie with the UCI, but whether the passport will actually identify athletes who are doping. The comments on the BP by Michael Ashenden put it into perspective:
"So I think the passport will take us a big step forward, not necessarily because it will be where sanctions are suddenly imposed, but because it tells the agencies which athletes are suspicious and which are not, or for all accounts clean. So you can focus your tests accordingly. Rather than having a pool of a thousand athletes, suddenly you narrow it down to a pool of say, fifty, and you focus your testing on those. And I think that indirect benefit of the passport, plus the continued police involvement, are going to be the conerstones of the anti doping efforts. At least in the foreseeable future.
AS: So the passport may not catch someone, but someone might find himself subject to more 'random' tests?
MA: Exactly. And when you've shown these unusual variations then you can expect the federations will continue to pursue you until your values came back to normal and stopped deviating, or you're caught and sanctioned. It's an element of the passport that perhaps wasn't emphasized as much as it could've. There are some people who believe that's what the passport is best suited to do, to highlight the athletes who are doping so that you can then follow up with targeted testing".
It might tell you who to target and who should arose your suspicion, but it is more of a screening test than a diagnostic test - which given the nature of the test is not surprising.
i am afraid cfa if you continue with your presetn stance we might all be waiting too long for your blog to start again - which is a shame because twitter is really not the same.
KG
I dont like twitter...there not as good as your blog posts.
I hope you come back soon.
Here we go again.
Riders think the system is unfair, journalists express surprise, UCI knows nothing, ex team manager thinks there is something fishy, no CRA testing at giro, etc etc etc.
There is NO surprise. The UCI have once again been shown for what they are, part of the problem. The keep everything quiet approach, has been hit below the water line, by those organizations prepared to challange the law of silence.
Lets hope they at last understand that they can fool some of the people some of the time, but the number who question their governance grows with each and every revelation.
Read the words of L Binney at cycling weekly web site, in an open letter to McMouth.
Says it all.
Since the capo of CFA is still not commenting I guess we must entertain/rant on our own? Anyone watch CyclingTV? How many times can the guy say "Cervelo Test Team"? Even when those fellows are doing nothing much, the full team name gets mentioned over and over like the announcer gets paid each time! At least the technical commentators try to steer the comments back to the actual racing instead of constant remarks about products and marketing. It IS supposed to be sport, not just a marketing exercise! Who next will be exposed as a dope cheat before the Giro gets started? It could be just Birillo vs Legstrong.
12.51 Agree, difficult to continue without the DS giving us decent information.
Who next ! Valverde is up before CONI, and word has it that the UCI have asked to be represented. Could shame have forced then to show some interest and concern ?
Just too keep some balance.
My observations on the Tour of Romandy give hope for the future. Riders were observed, with one or two exceptions, of responding to the parcours as one would expect in a clean peloton.
Maybe progress is being made, if this event is a true marker.
I must say I don't have the same confidence in the current American tour, although I have not been interested in watching.
Signing off.
CFA. I understand and respect your stand against the UCI. You gave a voice to many. However, I think you are wrong to leave the field, giving the UCI one less voice to worry about.
It is of course your choice, but I for one must support those who continue the fight in print. I am thinking of Lionel Binney at 'cycling weekly', who is being given the usual aggressive treatment from those who should know better, and should learn to behave with some respect to people who ARE the sport.
Twitter is of little use.
I will pop in from time to time too see if your excellent blog has returned. Thank you very much for your past efforts. Best wishes
I have a few comments, some of which might seem old now that everyone has caught the Giro fever.
1. poor Tin-tin. Now he is going to take to his grave that photo of him pointing to his head after winning Flech-Wallone '09.
It makes you wonder when he started using CERA. (I feel bound to mention Rebellin might be innocent.) He skipped the Tour '08. Was he using it while training for the Olympics and it already was in his system when Ricco's positive was announced? Maybe. Yet, let us remember that in Liege-Bastogne-Liege '08 Rebellin looked very good. (At the end it was only Rebellin, Valverde, F. Schleck, and Andy Schleck. Rebellin did all of the chasing to catch Andy, and Frank could not get away from Rebellin either. Of course at the finish Valverde simply outsprinted Frank and Rebellin, which hardly is surprising.)
Hans-Michael Holczer, the former manager of Gerolsteiner, said he found it odd that only his team was being targeted. I say to Hans, if you know something we don't know, simply point the way.
Thanks goodness that previously the ASO was fighting with the UCI, and the Olympics has been looking to drop cycling from the games. Otherwise, such doping might never have been brought to light. By now the UCI appears to have lost all credibility. I don't know how they can get it back. (Remember, in '09 the Tour will be run under the auspices of the UCI. Last year the French federation and labs were in charge. How many positives will emerge in July this time?)
I have a few more comments.
2. has anyone heard a peep out of Mr. A, the new president for ASO, in recent months? In years past Christian Prudhomme and Patrice Le Clerc used to be out and about all year long talking up a storm. Mr. A seems to be of such little consequence that we have forgotten his name. (When it was announced that Mr. Amaury was going to be the new president of the ASO he was lauded for the business acumen he was going to bring to running the Tour and ASO's other events. It was mentioned he holds an MBA from an American university (Stanford?). I nearly wet my pants. A man trained in the American way of doing business was being praised at the very time the American economy was disintegrating.)
3. why does everyone believe Andy Schleck rides clean? Any dummy watching his attack in Liege-Bastogne-Liege could have said it looked rather "Ricco-esque."
4. horse racing: did anyone watch the Kentucky Derby last weekend? (I didn't. After some fellow at the office brought it up I searched the internet for footage.) The performance by the horse "Mine that Bird" was crushing. The horse started at the back, cut through the entire pack, and then ran away from all the other horses. Yet, before the horse even crossed the finish line I already was thinking to myself, "My god, what is that horse on?"
Let's compare such a performance to analogous performances in cycling. After the race the announcers were talking about how the horse had "a lot of heart." I was reminded of A. Vinkourov's performance in the time trial in the Tour '07. While it was taking place Phil L. and Paul S. already were talking about how it took--guess, what!?--a lot of heart for Vino to come back and put in such a performance after all he had been through previously. Well, Phil and Paul, it did not take a lot of heart. It took a lot of blood, and someone else's, to boot. (Again, Vino's teammate Kashechkin also tested positive for a homologous blood transfusion. Did the authorities ever say whether or not each cyclist had the other's blood in his body? Do the tests reveal that?)
Let us take another example. After the race Calvin Borel, the jockey, was so overjoyed he was bawling his eyes out. (Note: Borel is supposed to be one of the great jockeys. He won the Kentucky Derby in 2007 also, but on a different horse.) In particular he was talking about how he wished his parents still were alive to see how much he had accomplished. It was touching.
Does anyone remember all the crying E. Sella did at the Giro '08? Look for pictures of him when he came in for his third victory during the race. Unfortunately, he didn't stop there. Earlier in the race, when the course passed by Sella's hometown the peleton let him ride ahead for a minute or two in order that he could stop by his family and give them one of his green jerseys. Yet, the entire time he was doped to the gills with CERA. How do we explain such behavior? (By the way, why on earth would the peleton show such a gesture to a doper?)
Well, I was not going to post again BUT, I am so angry that our sport is being ruined by the normal suspects once again in Milan. Maybe they should be made to ride some Belgium crits or better still sentanced too Paris-Roubaix, Amstel or Flanders. WTF, this is bike racing, not a pansy parade. Arm mouth complaining non-stop about the race conditions, despite being escorted all day long by dim witted team-mates (who are not even being paid), along with Basso, Cunago and De Luca. Do we really have to put up with more of this crap !!
Still, blood food day tomorrow!
c'mon CFA, you gotta comment on this video about Bernard Kohl retiring:
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=1095451&ch=5127641&cl=13669986&src=ukyvideo
It almost reminds of that fake video of Riis admitting to doping and talking about having a heart transplant, his head exploding or something or other. Except, the Kohl video is real.
Its interesting Kohl admitted that in a race like the Tour, you can't gain a podium spot without medical help. Is he talking about his own inadequacies or is our sport really so corrupted? Eeeks.
Scarponi (again). So glad I have not wasted a day following this fairy tale. What about the poor riders who have too suffer all this in the 'groupo', and for their efforts read in the press what failures they all are !
Meanwhile, in Switzerland the UCI sit on their butts whilst this travesty is allowed to continue.
Some may perceive your harsh anti-doping stance as being anti-cycling; but it is not easily understood that sometimes to save something you must be cruel to it so it can overcome it shortcomings, propelling it toward its eureka moment before it is extinct--nothing but memories. Now how can anti-doping bodies do so little then, at least enough to keep more persons employed in the weird world economy, as it endangers its prestige...
No wonder hope is lost.
does this mean you'll start writing the blog again and quit tweeting?
http://www.velonews.com/article/93076/katusha-s-toni-colom-suspended-after-positive-epo-test
"UCI revealed that Colom had been tested due to information gleaned from his biological passport."
There it is in black and white and english...
http://www.velonews.com/article/93052/kohl-comes-clean
CFA, notice his thoughts on the passport system. They mean you should start posting again.
Also notice the lack of due diligence...wait a minute; where's the omerta, CFA? He just took a swipe at the top ten in the tour. He said they're all dopers! omerta who? Is this a trend? What does this mean? Why aren't you reflecting on this for us?
He's obviously bitter. I'm not sure that I agree with his comment about the top ten being juiced. He just never belonged with the top ten. Maybe he's simply not one those freaks of nature that are world class competitors before they're 21. Those are the people who belong in the top ten Mr Kohl. Well anyway, I'm biased about this b/c of Garmin and VdV.
C'mon people, DISCUSS.
http://www.todociclismo.com/noticia.asp?id=49565
Next week
I should follow up my 10:11 post with this article. Who knows what he said but it sure is interesting.
http://www.velonews.com/article/93126/bernard-kohl-says-he-was-misquoted
so, omerta lives on?
Is Antonio Colom another cyclist who used to ride under Bruyneel? In the 2008 Giro d'Italia, in the stage which included the Passo Gavia and Passo Mortirolo climbs, Colom, who was riding for Astana at the time, was sent on a breakway in order that after the leaders crossed the Mortirolo Contador would have someone to help him. Now it seems he is riding for Katusha.
That brings the number of riders to six: R. Heras, T. Hamilton, F. Landis, Tricky Beltran, V. Bileka, and A. Colom. Why have all of these riders tested positive after leaving Bruyneel's team?
Don't I recall CFA calling this one? About Katusha falling apart?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/third-doping-case-would-end-katusha
Here we go!!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fifty-targeted-riders-to-be-informed-by-uci
Small number of riders? I think I read one article in which the man said there are 800 pros that the UCI has authority over. I'm not sure about that but, 50 is of course 6.25% of pro cyclists! That's a big chunk of the peleton to defame in one fell swoop!
Could Contador be on the list? Judging from le dauphine, he sure isn't riding like last year... He wouldn't even have to be banned for the first post here to be more or less predictive. The UCI could just say maybe these people shouldn't ride the tour but whether they are banned or not is up to other organizations. Then Bruyneel would prevent Contador from riding the tour but maybe not even fire him or punish him in any other way. And of course according to Kohl, the best and wealthiest racers can still use their own blood to dope coexistent with the biopassport program. The only thing is that Bruyneel would take a big hit, so who knows. Ouch.
Will the UCI get street cred? How can doping be fought with partial effort? Did the tour organizers last year cast aspersion directly on 6.25% of pros? Why does it seem so chaotic? Why don't they just release results of the biopassport system the same time every year? After all, it requires data to be collected over time so, there should really be no rush. The information can still be used for targeted testing at anytime of the year but, that's very different from releasing the names of everyone who has suspicious results just before the tour! Is this what teams would want? Is this what sponsors would want? Circus!
Is this what CFA wants? For some reason it just doesn't seem like it will make CFA believe some performances in this year's tour. It's not like garmin will get crushed or anything like that. I think they could have some great moments. But there might be some surprises that make some people wonder, despite the passport results. OK CFA, prepare to start to posting again!
This article decreases the sensational aspect of the results a lot.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mcquaid-clarifies-50-targeted-riders
But it still requires CFA to start posting again.
time to get them fingers tapping!
The UCI has spoken, it's time to come back.
come on then!
they got 4 nobodies and one "once was somebody"
still time to post
Yes the UCI has spoken - do they think anybody is going to believe this crap. What about the Giro, was nobody watching the performance of some of the 'big names'. When will we all accept that the UCI has, and never will, do anything to help our sport. All they want is the power and money.
Mafia judging Mafia = corruption. Move on, nothing new to be seen here.
Boonen's hair samples show signs of cocain in the spring only - cyclingnews.com. 'Experts say it could be from a handshake or ingested in a drink'.
Spring and pot belge seem more likely to a non 'expert'
Re your moaning on your twit site, come on, lighten up and give Gripper's gang some credit...I mean they don't open cases so you bitch, then they open cases but you bitch cos they aren't the riders you want, lets take this as a positive first step and hope there's more to come. She's said there are.
www.cyclingnews.com/features/exclusive-anne-gripper-breaks-silence-on-blood-passport
cfa is what you have been waiting for? It's a good interview about the passport and explains why it has taken so long for there to be any positive action.
We await your return - blog is better than trite Twitter
I'm not falling for these "sacrificial lambs" being offered up by the UCI. It's pretty clear UCI's tactic here - through the lions a few non-essential bones and they'll back down - for awhile, maybe.
Well CFA, how're you gonna respond to the UCI's feeble attepmt at pacifying us non-believers??
The five that got caught need to link up and spill the beans on everyone.
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