http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 914301.stm
The riders could have a choice and not go pro if the team order were to dope else they could try to stay clean and race against dopers. Tough when it is your raison d'etre.
The Tour (FFS content)
The Tour (FFS content)
W213 All Terrain
It could be better for the sport as people could relate to it more I guess but then look what happend to the Chinese female swimmers...
The fact that the fdoctors doping a few years back are the ones now doing the testing shows the turmoil the sport is in. If the guy winning stages on the tour knowing dopes even though he and his team know he will be the most tested man on the tour and still think it is an option I reckon the authorities are miles behind.
For Rasmussen to "miss" two drugs test while he was "on holiday" is bollocks to. In the most tested of sports when you are top ten you do not miss tests that your career depends on. You have team managers, directors and your own manager to make sure it happens. £6k fine and he is allowed to race, he is simply bending the rules.
If they put the same amount of testing the cyclists have in to other sports then the bigger picture would appear. I recall reading in some bike mag that when they last big investigation took place with the Dr who was doping them all there were also some very well known Premiership players who were "swapping their blood".
I wish I had an answer to finish this monologue off....
The fact that the fdoctors doping a few years back are the ones now doing the testing shows the turmoil the sport is in. If the guy winning stages on the tour knowing dopes even though he and his team know he will be the most tested man on the tour and still think it is an option I reckon the authorities are miles behind.
For Rasmussen to "miss" two drugs test while he was "on holiday" is bollocks to. In the most tested of sports when you are top ten you do not miss tests that your career depends on. You have team managers, directors and your own manager to make sure it happens. £6k fine and he is allowed to race, he is simply bending the rules.
If they put the same amount of testing the cyclists have in to other sports then the bigger picture would appear. I recall reading in some bike mag that when they last big investigation took place with the Dr who was doping them all there were also some very well known Premiership players who were "swapping their blood".
I wish I had an answer to finish this monologue off....
W213 All Terrain
I’m suspicious of the timing of these releases – Did Vino get a blood transfusion because of his accident and this was why he tested positive? He had to get a heck of a lot of stitches...
Rasmussen missed the tests in early June and was notified then, suddenly, when he’s leading the Tour the news is made public and there’s an uproar.
Same as Pettachi, tested ‘non-positive’ (what the hell does that mean?) for salbutamol, big revelation in the media, banned for a year. Now suddenly it’s okay, he’s allowed to take it because he has asthma and the governing body authorised it. This was the reason he pulled out the Tour, what a farce!
Floyd Landis’s hearing for his positive test last year is due in the middle of this years Tour, could this not have been sorted out in less than a year, so he could know if he was guilty or not?
Piss up and brewery come to mind. I find this all very disheartening for the sport. Someone out there must know what’s going on…
Mike.
Rasmussen missed the tests in early June and was notified then, suddenly, when he’s leading the Tour the news is made public and there’s an uproar.
Same as Pettachi, tested ‘non-positive’ (what the hell does that mean?) for salbutamol, big revelation in the media, banned for a year. Now suddenly it’s okay, he’s allowed to take it because he has asthma and the governing body authorised it. This was the reason he pulled out the Tour, what a farce!
Floyd Landis’s hearing for his positive test last year is due in the middle of this years Tour, could this not have been sorted out in less than a year, so he could know if he was guilty or not?
Piss up and brewery come to mind. I find this all very disheartening for the sport. Someone out there must know what’s going on…
Mike.
Sanjoy
It's not the team or the rider, it's both, I raced alot on the road until 1987, and it was happening with amatuer riders in Britain then, many riders would use drugs to help get to the top as an amatuer, top amatuer team coaches and pro team coaches then help them out to make sure the team performed at the top level.
Read Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage, very interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough_Ride
Having national teams instead of trade teams is unlikely to help, Tommy Simpson was riding for GB when he died.
Giles
It's not the team or the rider, it's both, I raced alot on the road until 1987, and it was happening with amatuer riders in Britain then, many riders would use drugs to help get to the top as an amatuer, top amatuer team coaches and pro team coaches then help them out to make sure the team performed at the top level.
Read Rough Ride by Paul Kimmage, very interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough_Ride
Having national teams instead of trade teams is unlikely to help, Tommy Simpson was riding for GB when he died.
Giles
Things just got worse, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 916698.stm
Can't imagine how Wiggins feels though, just to finish your first tour is an amazing performance and having got over the last Mountain stage he was all set, then this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 916422.stm
After my last race I said never again, mainly because it hurts so much, but recently I have started mountain biking, and may have got myself drawn into a race, not sure about it right now though.
Have fun
Giles
Can't imagine how Wiggins feels though, just to finish your first tour is an amazing performance and having got over the last Mountain stage he was all set, then this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 916422.stm
Most of my racing was in Southern Englandshire and South Wales, it's a great sport, but it really does take over your life completely, I kept off the drugs except for alcohol, but I don't think this is considered a performance enhancerGiles - we must've just missed each other, I lived in Edinburgh and raced between 1988 and 1993. Happy, and tiring, days. No drugs for me though, even gave up the fags!
Mike.
After my last race I said never again, mainly because it hurts so much, but recently I have started mountain biking, and may have got myself drawn into a race, not sure about it right now though.
Have fun
Giles