Originally Posted by 79pmooney

He and the team also benefited from inside help that other teams and riders did not get. His first Tour, he tested positive first or second stage but was allowed to slide. probably because he was a feel-good story as a cancer survivor. Later a drug tester was kept locked outside the team's house for an hour while Armsrrong diluted is blood to pass the surprise test, (The team's inside informer missed that one, Usually they got a phone call in advance so he could be ready.) Keeping a tester waiting more than 10 minutes is an automatic positive but that was allowed to slide. Other teams didn't get that benefit. In fact, Armstrong's team could place a call to the governing body and say "we know so and so is doping." (So and so just happening to be very close to Amstrong in that particular Tour's general classification race- the fight for the yellow jersey. So and so gets a surprise test which he does not pass and Armstrong has one less rival to worry about. That happened several times. Those riders were disqualified and disgraced while Armstrong rode on to another yellow jersey.

Yes, Armstrong did his special training with that single focus (and kept himself out of the public's and officials' view) until the Tour. Meant that he could focus on a drug regime that was impossible for a rider racing all spring.

Ben